Balfour Beatty to helm £124M Wokingham highways upgrade

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Balfour Beatty has been hired by Wokingham Borough Council to oversee its hugely ambitious £124M Major Highways Programme.

The four year work package – awarded via Scape Group’s National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Framework – will require the planning, design and construction of nine much-needed road schemes in Wokingham, alongside four strategic development roads which will unlock access to around 12,000 new homes.

In October 2015 Balfour Beatty began its collaboration with Wokingham Borough Council under the National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Framework. This early engagement has enabled the infrastructure specialist to participate fully in the scheme’s development, having mitigated risk and established the most cost-effective solution for the council.

“We are delighted to have been appointed to construct the Major Highways Programme in Wokingham,” said Dean Banks, Chief Executive Officer for UK Construction Services at Balfour Beatty.

“We have a wealth of experience in delivering significant highways schemes across the UK and this contract award is yet another testament not only to our in-house engineering capabilities, but to our clients’ confidence in our ability to deliver.”

Councillor David Lee, Executive Member for Strategic Highways and Planning at Wokingham Borough Council, added: “We are committed to providing the roads and other infrastructure necessary to accompany the homes coming to Wokingham borough and this contract is a massive milestone toward that.

“Our residents can be fully confident that these vital roads will be built and will help us control congestion and keep the borough moving.”

The heavy lifting is set to begin this month. It is thought that 150 jobs will be generated at peak construction – among them plenty of opportunities for apprentices and graduates alike.

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