Kier’s highways division has obtained a £460m contract to arrangement and bring an reinforce to the A417 between Gloucester and Swindon.
The fresh 3.4 mile-long motorway will join two aspects of the motorway, namely the Brockworth bypass and the twin carriageway south of Cowley. Nationwide Highways, the client for the job, acknowledged the event would lower delays and amplify safety on the A417.
Acknowledged because the “lacking link” on the A417, the advance would serve to abet a long way flung from “frequent and unpredictable” congestion, which usually causes motorists to trot onto local roads, the client added.
The concept is for the time being being concept to be by the Planning Inspectorate, which is ensuing from enact its observations subsequent month. After that, transport secretary Grant Shapps will think whether or no longer to give the mission the trot-forward.
Kier Highways mission director Paul Baker acknowledged the infrastructure mission would “reinforce the connectivity of the strategic motorway community”.
“We are a nationwide industry with a local focal point and, for the length of the length of the mission, we are going to be in a position to enhance the location individuals through employment opportunities and social price initiatives that trot away a positive legacy,” he added.
Nationwide Highways’ mission director for the A417, Michael Goddard, acknowledged: “We are in a position to work together to bring a mission that’s sympathetic with the special character of the Cotswolds Set up of Well-liked Natural Beauty and need to reinforce economic declare, reinforce web site visitors flows at high times and construct the motorway safer.”
Kier’s bumper contract award comes weeks after it used to be shortlisted for 2 Decrease Thames Crossing contracts, price £1.3bn and £600m. It present for the contracts in a joint endeavor with Eiffage, and need to face off in opposition to the likes of Balfour Beatty, Skanska and Bam Nuttall for the work.
In January, Kier used to be one in every of a bunch of contractors to register pastime in a £2.7bn PFI highways contract in Birmingham, which can flee till 2035. Kier is for the time being on build of residing on an meantime basis, after Amey – which obtained the previous PFI contract in 2010 – settled on a £300m deal to exit the contract in 2019.
