Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group, has announced that work is to commence on the A421 road scheme between the M1 and Bedford.

Work on the design development, statutory process and environmental statement has now been successfully completed. The project was awarded to Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering as an Early Contractor Involvement project in late 2005.

The Highways Agency scheme budget for the project is within the range of £201 and £231 million. The new road is scheduled to open in late 2010.

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Balfour Beatty Chief Executive Ian Tyler said: "We are very pleased to get construction underway on another Early Contractor Involvement scheme with the Highways Agency. The opportunity afforded by this form of contract to work in partnership with the customer, the designer and other stakeholder groups in developing the scheme helps ensure the best possible project out-turn."

The existing A421 is largely single carriageway, is extremely busy and carries a high proportion of HGV traffic. In the new scheme, M1 Junction 13 will be remodelled and a 13-kilometre dual carriageway will be built linking the M1 with the existing ring road to the south of Bedford.

Through the Early Contractor Involvement scheme, Balfour Beatty is already working on the A3 Hindhead improvement project, the A1(M) Branham to Wetherby upgrading, the A46 Newark to Widmerpool road, the A13 Sadlers Farm junction improvement and is nearing completion of the M1 Junction 6a to 10 widening project.

(CD/JM)