Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty has secured two motorway contracts worth £425m. Credit: © Balfour Beatty.

Balfour Beatty has secured two motorway contracts worth £425m to design and build motorways for A-road projects in the UK.

The London-based infrastructure group has been selected for the B6 contract in the south-east and B8 contract in the north, worth £1.1bn and up to £2bn respectively.

Both projects are part of Highways England’s Delivery Integration Partnership Framework.

Balfour Beatty’s contracts are for the initial phase of work on the six-year frameworks, while future packages will be awarded after the company’s performance has been evaluated.

Work is expected to start on both projects next year.

Balfour Beatty said that its digitally enhanced way of working was instrumental in securing both contracts.

In association with its design partner Atkins, Balfour Beatty will use BIM to improve efficiency and will utilise off-site manufacturing techniques.

“Balfour Beatty’s deep domain knowledge and unique capability in complex road construction make us ideally positioned to support delivery of the UK’s critical national infrastructure.”

Nearly 40% of project materials will be locally sourced for the projects. At the peak of construction, Balfour Beatty will employ 250 people.

Balfour Beatty Group chief executive Leo Quinn said: “Balfour Beatty’s deep domain knowledge and unique capability in complex road construction, acquired through many years’ of successful projects for Highways England, make us ideally positioned to support delivery of the UK’s critical national infrastructure to the highest standard.”

Highways England has also selected 12 additional contractors to deliver up to £8.7bn worth of work on motorways and major A roads across the UK.

According to Highways England, the 13 contractors will be known as ‘delivery integration partners’ and will be responsible for designing, developing and constructing road projects in the country.

Galliford Try Infrastructure and Taylor Woodrow (Vinci) have won the south-west contract worth £800m, while John Graham Construction and Volker Fitzpatrick have been awarded the south-east and east contract worth £350m.