News Release Page Title

21 June 2005

MAJOR ROAD SCHEMES PROGRESS

The multi-million pound M1 / Westlink and M2 widening scheme is on target to commence early next year.

Roads Minister Shaun Woodward confirmed the timetable today, when he announced that Highway Management (NI) has been selected as the provisional preferred bidder for the project.

Highway Management (NI) is comprised of local contractors John Graham (Dromore) Limited, Northstone (NI) Ltd (formerly Farrans Ltd) and the major German multi-services group Bilfinger Berger.

The £100 million project includes widening of the M1 and Westlink to three lanes in each direction between Stockman’s Lane and Grosvenor Road. It will also entail the provision of underpasses at Broadway and Grosvenor Road junctions, widening of the M2 between Greencastle and Sandyknowes to three lanes in each direction and provision of on-slips to the M2 at Antrim Area Hospital.

The Minister said: "The M1 / Westlink and M2 widening schemes will reduce congestion and improve journey times for motorists travelling both to and through Belfast and will improve the accessibility of Belfast Port for industry.

"As I also have Ministerial responsibility for Health, I am particularly pleased to note the provision of on-slips to the M2 at Antrim Area Hospital which will further improve access to the hospital for the emergency services and the general public."

The first of its kind in Northern Ireland to be procured using the Design Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) form of Public Private Partnership (PPP), the project is being followed by a second DBFO package.

The Minister also announced progress on this when he unveiled the names of three consortia that will be invited to tender for the £250 million package of schemes that includes the upgrade of the A1 between Beechill, north of Newry and Cloghogue to high quality dual carriageway standard, along with the provision of four new flyover junctions and provision of a central reserve safety barrier between Sprucefield and Loughbrickland.

In addition, the second DBFO package will deliver the dualling of the A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley and single carriageway realignments to the A4 at Annaghilla and A5 at Tullyvar.

The consortia that will be invited to tender are:

  • Highway Management (NI);

  • Northern Roads Group 2005; and

  • Amey Lagan Ferrovial Consortium.

Subject to completion of the necessary statutory procedures, it is anticipated that construction will commence on the Beechill to Cloghogue scheme in early 2007, with construction of the A4 likely to commence in 2008.

The Minister said: "These announcements are excellent news for the travelling public and for business, demonstrating my Department’s commitment to delivering the improvements to the Strategic Road Network outlined in the Regional Transportation Strategy."

Roads Service Chief Executive, Dr Malcolm McKibbin, welcomed the announcement: "For both DBFO packages, our excellent local contractors have been joined in consortia by major players from throughout Europe. The quality of the consortia demonstrates the importance placed by Roads Service and the construction industry on the delivery of these important projects."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. Former DRD Minister John Spellar, announced that both DBFO packages would be taken forward as a PPP in January 2004.

  2. The DBFO approach does not mean tolls are payable by motorists. The service payments are met from public funds.

  3. Roads Service remains as the road authority, with the DBFO company acting under Roads Service supervision.

  4. Commencement of construction on the M1 / Westlink scheme is subject to successful completion of negotiations.

  5. Northern Roads Group 2005 is comprised of local contractor FP McCann Ltd and major British construction groups Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd and Balfour Beatty Capital Projects Limited.

  6. Amey Lagan Ferrovial Consortium, which is comprised of local construction group Lagan Holdings Ltd., major British support services provider Amey plc and major Spanish construction group Ferrovial Argoman SA.

  7. Package 1 with a capital value of over £100million includes :

    • Improvements to the M1 / Westlink including, widening 2km of the M1 to Dual Three Motorway (D3M) standard, provision of grade separated junctions at Broadway and Grosvenor Road; and widening 2.4km of the A12 Westlink to Dual Three (D3) standard. Statutory procedures for the scheme including publication of the Designation Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are complete.

    • M2 Widening between Greencastle and Sandyknowes including, widening 6km of the southbound M2 from Dual Two Motorway (D2M) to Dual Three Motorway (D3M) standard; widening to D3M standard northbound at Greencastle; and replacing three overbridges. Statutory procedures for the scheme including publication of the Designation Order and Environmental Statement are expected to be completed during the summer.

    • M2 Antrim Hospital Slips which involves provision of two on-slips at the Antrim Area Hospital to complement the off-slips built a number of years ago. Statutory procedures for the scheme including publication of the Designation Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are complete.

    • The successful bidder will also be required to operate and maintain some 60km of the motorway and trunk road network for a period of 30 years.

  8. Package 2 with an estimated capital value of some £250million includes:

    • Dualling A1 from Beechill to Cloghogue

      Dualling of approximately 12km of the A1 between Beechill and Cloghogue to a high quality dual carriageway standard, incorporating fully grade separated junctions, central median safety barrier and a hard shoulder. The alignment is largely off-line. Statutory procedures for the scheme commenced with publication of the Direction Order and Environmental Statement in November 2004. The vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme is planned to commence later in 2005.

    • A1 Junction Improvements

      Provision of grade separation at four junctions at Dromore Road, Hillsborough; Dromore Road, Banbridge; Dublin Road / Grovehill Road, Loughbrickland; and Banbridge Road, Dromore will be included in this package. Statutory procedures for the scheme including publication of the Direction Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are planned to commence later in 2005.

    • A1 Safety Fencing

      Within the package, Roads Service also proposes to include erection of some 26km of central reserve safety barrier and to close some central reserve crossovers serving both public and private roads between Sprucefield and Loughbrickland.

    • Dualling A4 from Dungannon to Ballygawley

      Upgrade approximately 20.5km of the A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley as a partially on-line / partially off-line high quality dual carriageway standard incorporating a number of grade separated junctions and central median safety barrier. Statutory procedures for the scheme including publication of the Direction Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are planned to commence later in 2005.

    • Single carriageway improvements to the A4 at Annaghilla

      A 3.8km realignment of the A4 single carriageway route between Ballygawley and Augher including a section of 2 + 1 overtaking opportunity. Statutory procedures for these schemes including publication of the Direction Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are planned to commence later in 2005.

    • Single carriageway improvements to the A5 at Tullyvar

      3.1km realignment of the A5 single carriageway route between Ballygawley and Aughnacloy including climbing lanes either side of Tullyvar Hill. Statutory procedures for these schemes including publication of the Direction Order and Environmental Statement and the vesting procedure to assemble the necessary land for the scheme are planned to commence later in 2005.

    • Operation and maintenance of 125km of motorway and trunk road network for 30 years.

  9. Because of the complex financing arrangements surrounding the procurement of a roads project as a Public Private Partnership, it can take some 18-24 months between publication of the contract notice and contract signature. In order to facilitate early delivery of these important capital schemes, Roads Service is therefore advancing the procurements in parallel with completion of the statutory processes. This however will not impact on the rights of those impacted by the individual schemes. Construction works can only commence once the statutory processes are completed.

Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel 028 9054 0372.

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