Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, announces today that it has been awarded the £77.6 million M4/M5 managed motorways scheme construction contract, near Bristol, by the Highways Agency who manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and trunk roads.

The scheme, the first managed motorways scheme in the South West of England, will utilise a range of innovative technology, combined with new operating procedures, to actively control and improve traffic flow, cutting congestion, regulating journey times and improving road safety.


Balfour Beatty's scope of work will allow the Highways Agency to introduce variable mandatory speed limits and open up the hard shoulder to traffic during periods of exceptionally heavy traffic at congestion bottle necks on the M4 and the M5.

Commenting on the award today Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: "This is an innovative scheme that will assist in bringing greater capacity to our motorway network. We are pleased to continue our long relationship with the Highways Agency, and look forward to helping them deliver positive benefits to road users."

Subject to statutory processes construction work is due to start between January and March 2012 with the completed scheme opening to traffic in 2013-14.

(CD/GK)