Delivering south west England’s first Smart Motorway
Balfour Beatty delivered south west England’s first Smart Motorway, transforming the M4 and M5 with state-of-the-art technology designed to improve journey reliability, enhance safety and increase network capacity.
The upgraded motorways now respond dynamically to live traffic conditions. Innovative cables installed beneath the carriageway relay real-time data to overhead signs, enabling speed limits to vary in response to congestion, incidents and weather conditions. At peak times, the hard shoulder can also be safely opened to traffic, helping to reduce congestion and keep the region moving.
Creating smoother, more reliable journeys
To support the Smart Motorway upgrade, we refurbished seven existing gantries and installed 33 new gantry structures across the network, alongside the creation of six emergency refuge areas to enhance driver safety.
We also resurfaced more than 14 miles of carriageway and installed over 30 miles of fibre optic cabling, forming the digital backbone that enables real-time traffic monitoring and management across the route.
million scheme
miles of fibre optic cables installed
Safety innovations
Safety was central to delivery. Our teams developed a bespoke safety programme to reduce the risk of injury for construction workers operating in close proximity to live traffic, heavy plant and machinery.
The ‘Zone In’ training workshop used life-sized models, real equipment, on-site video footage and reconstructions of major incidents to highlight potential risks and reinforce safe behaviours. This proactive approach played a key role in achieving an outstanding safety record throughout the project.
Achievements
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2013 BCIA Award for Safety Excellence
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Highway’s Agency inaugural National Major Projects Framework Safety Recognition Award 2013