CONTRACTOR APPOINTED FOR A6 MANCHESTER AIRPORT RELIEF ROAD

Carillion and Morgan Sindall have been apppointed in a joint venture to undertake the construction of the £290 million A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road scheme.

The appointment coincides with the announcement today that Stockport Council, along with its partners Cheshire East and Manchester City councils, have submitted a planning application for the scheme.

       Subject to planning approval,
       the proposed scheme will
       provide approximately 10km
       of dual carriageway, linking
       the A6 at Hazel Grove to the
       eastern end of the existing
       A555 at Woodford Road,
       Bramhall and from the
       western end of the existing
       A555 at Wilmslow Road,
       Handforth to Manchester
       Airport.

By improving access to south east Manchester and east Cheshire, the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road will benefit communities and the local economy, in particular assisting the potential growth of Manchester Airport and Airport City as well as areas of Stockport, Manchester and Cheshire East.

Cllr Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council said:

“These are significant steps in the delivery of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road. Subject to planning approval, we look forward to working closely with Carillion and Morgan Sindall to deliver the scheme, which will improve the local economy and improve lives within Stockport by reducing congestion on local roads.”

Gary Crisp, contracts director for the Carillion Morgan Sindall joint venture, commented:

“We are delighted to have been appointed to support the development of this vital scheme to improve the road network south of Manchester.

“Carillion and Morgan Sindall have an established joint venture history, having worked together successfully on the £209 million Dishforth to Leeming contract to upgrade 22 kilometres of existing A1 which was completed on-time last year.”

The news follows the announcement earlier this month that the Department for Transport has awarded programme entry status for the scheme and a commitment of government funding, subject to completion of all the remaining statutory procedures.

The funding has been secured through a combination of £165 million of specific Department for Transport capital grant, £105 million of additional capital grant funding from the Government through the recently approved Greater Manchester Earn Back model, and £20 million of Local Transport Plan (LTP) funding.

Subject to planning approval, construction of the road is expected to take place between 2014 and 2017.

For more information visit: www.semmms.info