Press release
23 December 2024Highways England, the government-owned company responsible for managing the core road network in England, has awarded a contract to convert a section of the M5 southwest of Birmingham into a "smart" motorway to a joint venture in which VINCI's subsidiaries VINCI Construction Grands Projets and Taylor Woodrow hold 40 % and Balfour Beatty 60 %.
This first contract, with a value of €65 million, is part of the Smart Motorways Programme (SMP) introduced by Highways England. It is designed to add extra capacity on around 18 km M5 motorway section between junctions 4A and 6 from 3 to 4 lanes by making smart use of the hard shoulder. The project also includes real-time management of traffic flows according to traffic density. Sensors send information to a control centre that is able to modulate speed limits via dynamic signage. The improved traffic flow will benefit thousands of motorists per day.
The works package (package 1) also includes two other projects to be carried out during the coming five-year period (the M6 motorway between junctions 2 and 4, and the M4 between junctions 3 and 12). 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 at an estimated combined value of up to €803 million. Final target costs for these contracts will be agreed with Highways England.
"The Group's employees, SME and ISE partners and subcontractors together performed the feat of completing this gigantic earthworks and civil engineering project in three years of works. The outsized project was a major challenge in terms of organisation, production and management, employing 8,500 people simultaneously at the height of activity. This great success reflects the uncompromising engagement of our construction teams, whom I take this opportunity to commend. The most visible part of the project is now behind us, as we move on to the second stage of the project focused on railway equipment. The success of this second stage is a huge responsibility for VINCI, but it also gives the Group a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate, once again, the power of its integrated concession-construction approach and the vitality of the public private partnership concept. The goal, which we all share, is to meet the target date of 31 July 2017, when the line is scheduled to begin commercial operation," said Xavier Huillard.
VINCI offers acknowledged expertise in complex roadworks. Its track record includes slip road widening at M1 junctions 25 to 28 in the United Kingdom between 2007 and 2010, the East End Crossing motorway section in the U.S. state of Indiana, currently under construction, and the New Coastal Highway on Reunion Island, also under construction.
