two smart motorways
View looking east at M62 motorway J22 towards Scammonden Bridge. Credit: RobChafer.

Canada-based engineering firm WSP has won two smart motorways design contracts worth more than £2.6m combined from Highways England.

Under the contracts, WSP will deliver engineering and design services on the M62 Junctions 20 to 25 linking Yorkshire and Lancashire and the A1 (M) Junctions 6 to 8 near Stevenage.

The company will be responsible for designing and delivering new infrastructure for both projects so that these sections of road can be transformed into all-lane running smart motorways.

“These new upgrade schemes will help capacity and connectivity in key corridor areas across the UK.”

The four-lane M62 smart motorway will be 31km-long and pass through the Pennines. It will support the Northern Powerhouse agenda by giving better east-west connectivity between major cities.

Additionally, an existing two-lane section around Stevenage on the A1 (M) will be upgraded to three lanes to improve capacity and encourage economic growth.

WSP Smart Roads Programme director Phil Barton said: “These new upgrade schemes will help capacity and connectivity in key corridor areas across the UK.

“We will work collaboratively with Highways England and supply chain partners to deliver its smart motorway network of the future and implement innovative technologies to enhance safety, reduce congestion and smooth traffic flows for customers using the network.”

Currently WSP is working on a number of other smart motorway schemes across the M4, M6, M27, and M62, as well as a 32-mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 near Mansfield and junction 35a north of Sheffield, in collaboration with delivery partner Costain.