Balfour Beatty to carry out M40 junction improvements

Balfour Beatty has won a contract to carry out £11.6 million worth of improvements to junction 12 of the M40.

Junction 12 is extremely busy, with queues of up to 1.2 miles forming on the M40 southbound hard shoulder during the morning peak. The new scheme, near Gaydon, aims to cut queuing, boost safety and improve journeys, while unlocking potential economic growth in the area.

Highways Agency project manager Shah Hussain said: “We’ve worked hard with Warwickshire County Council to create complementary schemes to really cut congestion and improve journeys on this busy stretch of the M40.

“Our work will stop drivers queuing on the hard shoulder – which creates an unsafe environment – and will boost the capacity of the junction to cope with growth in the foreseeable future.

“We will now move forward as quickly as possible with Balfour Beatty to deliver this scheme.”

Work is set to start in March.

Jonathan Winter, Balfour Beatty managing director for Thames Valley, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to upgrade junction 12 of the M40.

“Balfour Beatty has a strong track record of delivering major road schemes, both nationally and in the region, on time and to budget.

“Our commitment to building sustainably, engaging with local stakeholders, and employing a local supply chain is key to our success, and we aim to leave a lasting legacy as a thoughtful contractor behind us.”

The government has committed £11m to fund the work.