Balfour Beatty, alongside its design partner Atkins, today announces the completion of National Highways’ A19 major upgrade project, four months ahead of schedule.
Around £65 million has been invested into the construction of 198,770 square metres of new road between Norton and Wynyard junctions, increasing capacity from two to three lanes, reducing traffic noise in the process.
Originally scheduled for completion in Spring 2022, the new dual carriageway will ensure quicker and more reliable travel for road-users in the North East of England, whilst also supporting wider economic regeneration through the creation of numerous employment opportunities in the Tees Valley region.
As part of Balfour Beatty’s commitment to leaving a lasting, positive legacy in the communities in which it operates, over 60% of the project’s overall workforce was local to the scheme. In addition, Balfour Beatty hosted an event at Holme House Prison to provide a group of select learners with construction career training and interview guidance, further building on the numerous community initiatives held in Teesside since March 2020.
Phil Clifton, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Highways business, said: “We are delighted to announce the completion of the long-awaited A19 dual carriageway, which will transform travel in the North-East through increased capacity and reduced journey times.
“Through leveraging our expert capabilities and by maximizing our social value outputs, we have provided communities across the Tees Valley region with a legacy - one which will continue to thrive for years to come.”
National Highways Chief Executive Nick Harris said: “We pride ourselves on managing and improving England’s motorways and major A roads to make journeys safer, smoother and more reliable, as we deliver the Government’s strategic roads investment programme.
“I’m delighted to see the completion of the A19 Norton to Wynyard work earlier than planned so drivers can experience the benefits. The A19 is an extremely important route and these improvements will provide better, safer journeys and connections for our road users.”
ENDS
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Henry Dummett
Balfour Beatty
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Notes to editors:
- Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group with 26,000 employees driving the delivery of powerful new solutions, shaping thinking, creating skylines and inspiring a new generation of talent to be the change-makers of tomorrow.
- We finance, develop, build, maintain and operate the increasingly complex and critical infrastructure that supports national economies and deliver projects at the heart of local communities.
- Over the last 112 years we have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world including: the £1.5 billion A14 improvement scheme - Britain’s biggest road project; Hong Kong’s HK$5.5 billion world-class harbour theatre project for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority; and the 12.5 mile $429 million North Metro Commuter Rail line in Colorado, US.
- Balfour Beatty’s highways business designs, constructs and manages many of the UK’s major highways, implementing innovative technologies and sustainable solutions to deliver the best results. The business also delivers complex Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Early Contractor Involvement schemes.
- Through constant innovation and the use of cutting-edge technology, Balfour Beatty supports clients to create more reliable and safer journeys, better connecting communities and delivering an optimal highways experience to the travelling public.
- Current projects in our portfolio include three packages within Highways England’s Smart Motorway Programme; the M6 and M4, worth up to £562 million with a 60:40 joint venture partnership with VINCI. Balfour Beatty has also recently been awarded the £65 million A2 Bean to Ebbsfleet contract with their Integrated Delivery Partner, Atkins.
- Balfour Beatty is a Regional Delivery Partner for Highways England on the £425 million framework which encompassed contracts for the A19 and A57 in the North of England and A2 and M25 Junction 10 in the South of England.
- The £292 million A14 contract, part of Highways England’s Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement scheme will reach completion in 2020, almost year ahead of schedule, after five years of works; demonstrating Balfour Beatty's ability to continuously operate and maintain the M25 network to accommodate over 7 million passenger journeys every year and to help drive the economy.
- Balfour Beatty aims to provide employees with a safe, rewarding and inspiring place to work and develop their careers. Balfour Beatty has secured the top spot twice in the Heavy Construction category for Britain’s Most Admired Companies; the longest running annual survey of corporate reputation in the UK.
