Civil engineering firm GRAHAM has completed work on a new junction on the M11, delivering one of the biggest highways infrastructure projects in Essex. The £76 million M11 Junction 7A scheme opened to the public ahead of schedule on Friday (10 June) and has created much-needed new access into Harlow
CIVIL ENGINEERING and surfacing firm Thomas Bow City Asphalt has successfully secured a multi-million pound Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council framework contract to deliver road repair works across the county. The four-year patching contract – worth a total of £36 million – will see Thomas Bow act as
Civil engineering firm GRAHAM has completed work on a new junction on the M11, delivering one of the biggest highways infrastructure projects in Essex. The £76 million M11 Junction 7A scheme opened to the public ahead of schedule on Friday (10 June) and has created much-needed new access into Harlow and included widening and improvement of Gilden Way, plus a new link road connecting Gilden Way and the junction via new roundabouts on either side of the motorway. As part of the project, GRAHAM, in collaboration with Essex County Council, has built a new bridge over the motorway, constructed slip roads for both northbound and southbound traffic, and improved walking and cycling access on Gilden Way. Funded by the council and National Highways, the new junction completes a project that started in summer 2020. Discussing the project on the day of its opening, Cllr Lesley Wagland, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning, said: “Today marks the opening of one of the largest highways infrastructure projects in the county and it is testament to all involved that, despite the challenges of the last two years, the project has been delivered ahead of schedule. “We have created a much-needed new east-west link, significantly improving access to the M11 at Harlow. This, in turn, will help reduce congestion on the A414 and other routes in the town and also support future growth, including the potential creation of up to 3,000 new jobs.” Matt Stafford, National Highways Regional Delivery Director, said: “We understand how important the M11 is to thousands of road users every day. “The road is a vital link for work journeys, visits to friends and family, and the movement of goods and services between London and East Anglia, and we’re pleased to have worked in partnership with Essex County Council to deliver this scheme. “A huge amount of work has gone in to get to this point and I am delighted to see the last piece of the jigsaw put in place with the opening of this new junction.” The junction opened to traffic on Friday evening, following a formal opening event the previous day. The public, whom the council thanked for their patience during construction of the scheme, was also given a unique opportunity to see the final scheme up close before it opened to traffic during a 5km charity fun run, which was supported by Harlow Running and Tri Club and Active Essex. The fun-run, which raised money for a local charity supporting children living with cerebral palsy and St Clare Hospice, saw more than 500 participants run from the London Road Roundabout to the new junction and back. With match-funding from GRAHAM, their efforts raised over £9,000. Dave Brown, Highways Director for GRAHAM Civil Engineering, added: “We’re pleased to have completed construction and delivered this important project in the region. The team has worked tirelessly during the programme, which included a challenging bridge beam installation over two weeks, involving four overnight closures to minimise disruption to road users. The new junction is a testament to our team’s civil engineering expertise and another addition to our growing highways portfolio.” For more information about the scheme and the new junction, visit www.essex.gov.uk/junction7a.
CIVIL ENGINEERING and surfacing firm Thomas Bow City Asphalt has successfully secured a multi-million pound Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council framework contract to deliver road repair works across the county. The four-year patching contract – worth a total of £36 million – will see Thomas Bow act as the principal contractor for the project. The firm will be responsible for more than 3,000 miles of road and deliver everything from traffic management, road marking, road planning and surfacing for the scheme. Alistair Bow, sixth generation managing director at Thomas Bow, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed by Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council as it’s not only a really significant contract but the work really complements our stronghold across the East Midlands. “The framework win has also allowed us to take on a further two surfacing teams – a total of 19 full time roles – as well as invest in new equipment such as pavers and vehicles. As a firm, we have extensive experience working across the Midlands and Yorkshire, so this appointment will help boost the work we’re already doing in the region. “We’ve had an excellent few years here at Thomas Bow – from our 150th anniversary in 2017 to securing Highway England framework win via a joint venture with Breedon Southern Limited in 2018, this contract provides a great support to 2019.” A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council said: “The maintenance and upkeep of our roads is a vitally important aspect of the work delivered by the county council. From pothole repairs to resurfacing, we’re responsible for more than 2,500 miles of roads. Ensuring the extensive road network runs smoothly is no mean feat and requires a large degree of co-ordination and flexibility. Carriageway repairs require quick solutions to make sure the impact on the travelling public is minimal. We’re pleased to be working in partnership with Thomas Bow City Asphalt to provide carriageway patching and repairs across the county, while, at the same time, ensuring that we’re delivering value for money for the council taxpayer.” Thomas Bow is based in Nottingham and has worked on some of most distinguished landmarks and transport systems across the Midlands and Yorkshire. Recent projects include the £10m contract to surface the second phase of the Nottingham tram system, the new car park 7 at Birmingham Airport and the Lincoln Transport Hub. To find out more about Thomas Bow City Asphalt, visit www.thomasbow.com or join the conversation on Twitter @thomas_bow.
