Nine “vital” road schemes and four strategic development roads across Wokingham borough will be built by Balfour Beatty after the company was awarded a £124 million contract by Wokingham Borough Council.
The international infrastructure group, which is already contracted on the Market Place development, said it was awarded the contract under Scape Group’s National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework.
The four-year package of works will include the planning, design and construction of nine road schemes in Wokingham, and four strategic development roads which will provide access to 12,000 new houses currently being built.
These include the Arborfield Cross Relief Road, South Wokingham Distributor Road and North Wokingham Distributor Road.
The four-year programme, which will also include Barkham Bridge, Lower Earley Way improvements and Winnersh Relief Road Phase 2, will bring the long-planned improvements to the borough’s road network.
The borough council new roads and other highways improvements will help relieve congestion as well as provide access to the major developments coming at Arborfield Green and to the north and south of Wokingham. All the projects are scheduled to be complete by 2022.
The company said that these works aim to alleviate congestion, enhance accessibility and deliver the infrastructure required to support the successful future of Wokingham Borough.
Balfour Beatty has worked in collaboration with Wokingham Borough Council under the Scape National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework since October 2015.
It said that its early engagement has enabled the company to fully participate in the development of the scheme, mitigate risks and ultimately provide the Council with the most cost-effective solution.
Dean Banks, chief executive officer, UK Construction Services, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to construct the Major Highways Programme in Wokingham.
“We have a wealth of experience in delivering significant highways schemes across the UK and this contract award is yet another testament not only to our in-house engineering capabilities, but to our clients’ confidence in our ability to deliver.”
And Wokingham Borough Council said that the team-up is another important step along the way for the regeneration of the borough over the next 20 years.
Cllr David Lee, WBC Executive Member for Strategic Highways and Planning said: “We are committed to providing the roads and other infrastructure necessary to accompany the homes coming to Wokingham borough and this contract is a massive milestone toward that.
“Our residents can be fully confident that these vital roads will be built and will help us control congestion and keep the borough moving.”
Balfour Beatty said that works are due to commence this month and at its construction peak the programme will employ over 150 people, including multiple apprenticeship and graduate opportunities.
Wokingham Borough Council said that the new roads are at different stages of progress, with sections of the North Wokingham Distributor Road and South Wokingham Distributor already built by housing developers while Arborfield Cross Relief Road now has planning consent. The Barkham Bridge improvements are at an earlier stage.
Currently the council has committed £11 million to the Balfour Beatty contract for the early phases. This could increase to more than £124 million as the programme develops and the roads are constructed; this will be subject to further agreements and oversight by elected councillors.
Wokingham Borough Council is developing webpages to provide up to date information on all the road projects and these can be found by visiting www.wokingham.gov.uk and searching for Major New Roads.
The company is the sole contractor on the £1.5 billion, four-year Scape National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework. The framework allows public sector clients to commission works through a procurement process that provides the fastest route to market and utilises early contractor engagement to deliver the best value solutions for clients.
