Coventry City Council has announced the appointment of the Costain Group as the contractors for the new bridge deck construction at Junction 6 of Coventry Ring Road, along with Atkins who have been appointed to design the scheme.

The bridge deck is a key part of the Friargate development at the railway station and the council's own move to a new office building on the site.

The bridge deck will better connect the Friargate development to the city centre by removing the raised roundabout at Junction 6 and building a 100 metre wide connection across the ring road, creating a public boulevard linking the railway station through Greyfriars Green and connecting directly to Bull Yard in the city centre.

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The Council will be working closely with Costain and Atkins over the next few months as the detailed designs are put in place. Work is expected to start early next year – with completion set for June 2015.

Cllr Rachel Lancaster, Cabinet Member for Public Services, said: "We are delighted to be working with the Costain Group and Atkins on this exciting project. The construction of the bridge deck and the Friargate development that follows will kickstart the regeneration of our city and will show that Coventry is open for business. The improved link to the city centre from the station will also support our aspirations for the city centre south redevelopment.

"The bridge work is being fully funded from a Regional Growth Fund grant and I'm pleased that there was so much interest in undertaking both the design and build work.

"This is the perfect opportunity to break through the ring road ensuring greater pedestrian access from the city centre to the railway station, without disrupting the flow of traffic on the ring road which at junction 6 runs underneath the junction. Once completed, the bridge deck and new boulevard will make up one of the most attractive and impressive walking routes into a city centre from a railway station of any city in the UK."

(CD/MH)