Client | Transport Scotland |
Project Value | £277m |
Expertise | Civil Engineering |
Sector | Highways |
Timeline | January 2009 - December 2011 |
Location | Scotland |
Ambitious in conception and celebrated upon completion, the £277 million M80 Stepps to Haggs PFI project has transformed one of Scotland’s busiest stretches of road network – the link between Glasgow and Sterling. Reducing travel time by 40%, and awarded the Saltire Society Civil Engineering Award, the wide-ranging M80 upgrade, encompassing 18km of motorway, seven junctions and 63 structures, represents the second largest roads project ever undertaken in Scotland. Not only did we construct the network, we were also an equity partner. The scale of the project, and the investment duration (30-year partnership), required combined funding from European Investment Bank, Barclays Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, and KfW Bankengruppe.
This complex structure, encompassing 37,000 lorry loads of dry stone, and 25,000m3 of concrete, incorporated the design and construction of 18km of dual two/three lane motorway with associated slip roads and infrastructure. Inclusive of seven junctions, 63 structures, 8km of online upgrade and 10km of offline upgrade through rural and urban areas, the project featured the exceptional response of 95% of all queries/complaints within 48 hours. Fundamental to the success of this PFI sheme, which demanded over 300 phases of work completion within a live environment, was our close collaboration with the client - strengthened through the appointment of two Customer Liaison Officers. Additionally, a dedicated Environmental Manager, and Ecologist, ensured that no notices or prosecutions were issued despite work encountering three SSSIs and numerous protected sites. Notably, it facilitated the largest ever road crash simulation in Scotland (Operation Roller) and has reduced Road Traffic Collisions by 25%.