Colas has been selected by Worcestershire County Council on the latest phase of the A38 Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP).

As part of the contract, Colas will be responsible for the delivery of seven schemes along the A38.

This will form part of the wider A38 Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme, with further schemes being delivered through existing Worcestershire County Council contracts by Alun Griffiths (Construction) Ltd.

Habitat and species surveys to reconfirm previous findings are now underway, with works on the scheme due to begin in the early 2024. This will include works on the carriageway along the A38 and the removal of vegetation to allow for junction improvements, including improved capacity and better cycling and walking facilities.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills said: "We are pleased to award this significant A38 BREP contract to Colas following a detailed procurement process. The signing of this contract allows us to start work on the A38 BREP, improving traffic flow and the facilities for cycling and walking along and across the A38 through Bromsgrove.

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"This scheme will provide vital benefits for the people of Bromsgrove, and I’m sure that Colas will bring their significant experience to the project having worked successfully within this industry for many years. We look forward to working with them."

Sean Jeffery, Executive Director for Construction Solutions at Colas Ltd said: "We are bringing together an experienced highways construction team from within Colas, working with our established supply chain to deliver this vital project for the West Midlands. It is a region we have a strong affiliation to, and we are looking forward to improving connectivity for local communities."

The A38 currently experiences significant congestion at peak times leading to unreliable journey times for residents and businesses and is set to worsen if the improvements are not made. It also acts as a significant barrier for east west travel for local residents.

The schemes delivered by Colas will see capacity improvements at key junctions together with localised road widening, thereby helping to improve traffic flow and reduce unnecessary bottlenecks along the route between Junction 4 of the M5 to the north and the A38/B4094 to the south. The A38 BREP programme will also see further improvements for pedestrians and cyclists.

The total cost of the A38 BREP is just over £50 million, with the Department for Transport committing to provide just over £43 million and the remainder from local developer contributions.