Costain confirms major road upgrade

UK-based contractor Costain has confirmed it is set to start work on a £101.7 million (€127 million) project for a Highways Agency road improvement to the A556 near Manchester.

The project, which was first unveiled in September, will be undertaken on the M6 motorway junction 19 at Knutsford with M56 junction 7 near Bowdon, creating four miles of dual carriageway. It has been designated as a nationally significant infrastructure scheme.

Work on the scheme will begin immediately, with significant improvement on journey times expected for the key commuter route. It is due for completion by the start of 2017.

The Highways Agency had originally identified the area as suffering from “severe road congestion” as early as 2003. The upgrade had been referred to the Secretary of State for Transport, who approved the works in August.

Andrew Wyllie, chief executive of Costain, said, “We are delighted to have secured the delivery phase of this vital scheme, following our successful work during the Early Contractor Involvement phase in providing specialist design consultation and securing planning approval.”