Kier gets in gear for Smart Motorway contract
CONSTRUCTION group Kier has secured contracts worth up to £475m as part of the Smart Motorway Programme (SMP), which will include upgrades to the M6 in Cheshire.
Kier will work with Carillion in a joint venture to deliver one of Highways England’s largest SMP contracts.
Awarded as part of the Collaborative Delivery Framework (CDF), the programme will be focused on the 19 mile stretch of the M6 running from Junction 16 to 19 and the M6 running from Junction 13 to 15, as well as the M20 between Junction 3 and 5 and the M23 from Junction 8 to 10.
The first phase of the contract on the M6 (J16-19), worth £129.5m, is due to begin in the autumn, with the other packages phased for delivery over the next four years. Final target costs for these tranches will be agreed with Highways England in due course.
The joint venture is one of three delivery partners for the Highways England Smart Motorway Programme and will be managed through a collaborative agreement designed to share industry knowledge and best practice.
The programme will include a range of smart motorway technology including the testing of All Lane Running (ALR) and Advanced Directional Signage (ADR).
Haydn Mursell, chief executive of Kier, said: “Investment into the transport infrastructure sector is a key component of the National Infrastructure Pipeline, and this significant award is testament to Kier’s growing presence in this arena. Our role in the Smart Motorway Programme extends Kier’s capabilities into Highways England’s capital expenditure programme, leveraging our expertise through the recent acquisition of Mouchel and illustrating the breadth of services that Kier can provide to clients in our core markets.”
