Balfour Beatty VINCI has completed the initial phase of work on a bridge that will carry the HS2 high-speed railway over the M42 motorway near Birmingham.

The milestone was achieved after two weekend motorway closures, during which engineers worked around the clock to remove existing concrete foundations, install underground ducting, and prepare a safe working area in the motorway’s central reservation.

Once completed, the M42 bridge structure will stretch 300 meters in length, enabling HS2 to cross over a 130-meter section of the motorway between junctions 6 and 7/7a, close to Birmingham Business Park and the NEC.

-- Advertisement --

The construction will use a modular method to minimise disruption. This approach involves assembling 1,500 giant hollow blocks, each weighing approximately 14 tonnes, which will be stacked and filled with concrete to form the bridge's walls. These walls will be spanned by 295 beams, topped by a bridge deck and parapets. The structure is scheduled for completion in early 2027.

The modular design allows much of the bridge to be fabricated off-site, reducing the need for extended motorway closures. During construction, three lanes of traffic will remain open on the M42, with a 50mph speed limit in place to ensure safety.

In collaboration with National Highways, Balfour Beatty VINCI will execute the build while maintaining traffic flow. A workforce of 150 will support the project at its peak, ensuring efficient delivery of this key component of the HS2 infrastructure.

The bridge represents a significant step in integrating HS2 into the UK's transport network, while efforts to minimise disruption demonstrate the project’s commitment to balancing progress with public convenience.