Balfour Beatty wins £1.2bn construction project aimed at easing Thames congestion
Infrastructure giant Balfour Beatty has been handed a £1.2bn contract to ease congestion over the Thames.
The firm secured a deal from National Highways to deliver the project which is called ‘Roads North of the Thames’.
More than 10 miles of new highways will be built, connecting the M25 at Junction 29 and the A13 with the Lower Thames Crossing tunnel at Tilbury, Essex.
Balfour Beatty will also deliver 49 structures, including bridges and viaducts, with latest construction techniques allowing them to build many of the structures offsite – reducing emissions and disruption.
The firm has also committed to spend spend £500m with local companies, and provide skills and training programmes to upskill plant operators.
Completion is expected between 2029 and 2030 after an 18-month period of detailed design and pre-construction. Balfour Beatty is expected to employ 2,000 in the mammoth operation.
Leo Quinn, chief executive of Balfour Beatty, said: “The Lower Thames Crossing is a significant scheme – one that will stimulate local, regional and national economic growth, create employment opportunities and new, sustainable methods of construction for the future of our industry.”
“Our deep domain knowledge and long-standing history in complex road construction, acquired through many years of successful delivery on behalf of National Highways, makes us ideally positioned to deliver this project to the highest standard.”