Skip to main content

Balfour Beatty JV to deliver UK smart motorways package

The Balfour Beatty Vinci joint venture has been awarded a contract by Highways England to deliver a smart motorway package worth up to US$792 million, the largest of Highways England’s three packages within its US$2.3 billion Smart Motorway Programme. The joint venture will deliver smart motorway upgrades to a ten mile stretch of the M5 Junctions 4a to 6 in Worcestershire; a 12 mile section of the M6 Junctions 2 to 4 in the Midlands and a 32 mile stretch of the M4 Junctions 3 to 12 in London and Berkshir
July 22, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The 3902 Balfour Beatty 5176 Vinci joint venture has been awarded a contract by 8101 Highways England to deliver a smart motorway package worth up to US$792 million, the largest of Highways England’s three packages within its US$2.3 billion Smart Motorway Programme.

The joint venture will deliver smart motorway upgrades to a ten mile stretch of the M5 Junctions 4a to 6 in Worcestershire; a 12 mile section of the M6 Junctions 2 to 4 in the Midlands and a 32 mile stretch of the M4 Junctions 3 to 12 in London and Berkshire.

These upgrades are aimed at increasing capacity, reducing congestion and shortening journey times for the thousands of road users who use these parts of the network every day. Extra capacity will be added to the motorways through the conversion of the hard shoulder to a permanent running lane. Electronic signs, operated by a regional control centre, will be installed to manage the flow of traffic in response to driving conditions.

Work on the M5 upgrade is due to start in the autumn of this year. Subject to statutory approval and continued value for money, the M6 is expected to start work in 2017/18 and the M4 scheme in 2016/17. Final target costs for these contracts will be agreed with Highways England.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Major improvements begin on UK M18 motorway
    November 3, 2014
    Major improvement work has begun at junction 5 of the M18 motorway in the UK. The US$8 million pinch point scheme will widen the junction and install traffic signals, improving congestion and reducing journey times at this junction near Doncaster.
  • How digital navigation is key to managing congestion
    March 24, 2023
    Satnav – not costly civil engineering projects – might point us towards better management of congested road networks, argues David Metz of University College London
  • Video: giant gantry is lifted overnight on the M6, UK
    October 8, 2018
    Highways England has released timelapse footage which shows a 20-tonne gantry being lifted over the M6 during an overnight operation in June. The 40m-wide structure will host 10 electronic signs between junctions 18 and 19 is being installed as part of a £274 million smart motorway project in Cheshire. The scheme will be completed in phases with all roadworks due to be removed by Spring 2019.
  • Congestion-busting roads boost across England
    September 15, 2014
    A widespread congestion-busting road improvement programme worth hundreds of millions of pounds has now tackled 39 bottlenecks, with more than another 80 to be completed in the next seven months. According to the Highways Agency, the US$515 million ‘pinch point’ programme will cut congestion, increase safety and improve journey times and help support the creation of 300,000 new jobs and 144,000 homes. The improvement plans, part of the biggest programme of road enhancements since the 1970s, were dra