The Minister announced the award of the contract to Amey Lagan Roads Limited for the Roads Service Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) - Package 2 contract.
The Minister welcomed the financial close of the contract which will provide major improvements to the Strategic Road Network. "These schemes will complete the dualling of the main Belfast to Dublin road and will improve the accessibility of Fermanagh and Tyrone. The schemes will deliver reduced congestion, better journey times and improved safety. The successful consortium who will build and maintain these roads provide us with international experience coupled with local expertise."
The contract includes building the A1 Beech Hill to Cloghogue and A4 Dungannon to Ballygawley dual carriageway schemes, the provision of two flyovers and two underpasses on the A1 between Hillsborough and Loughbrickland and single carriageway realignments to the A4 at Annaghilla and A5 at Tullyvar.
The DBFO Package is supported by the Strategic Investment Board and is included within the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland, a sustainable programme of capital investment in transport, education, health, housing and water over the next 10 years.
Notes to Editors:
- Former DRD Minister John Spellar announced that this package would be taken forward as a PPP in January 2004.
- Procurement commenced with the publication of the Works Contract Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union in March 2005.
- The DBFO approach does not mean tolls are payable by motorists. The service payments are met from public funds.
- Roads Service remains as the road authority, with the DBFO company acting under Roads Service supervision.
- Amey Lagan Roads Limited is a consortium formed by Amey Ventures Limited and Whitemountain Investments Limited. Construction works will be carried out by a joint venture of Lagan Construction Limited and Ferrovial Agroman (Ireland) Limited and maintenance services will be provided by Amey Infrastructure Services Limited.
- Improvements on the A1 have a capital cost of some £182million whilst those on the A4/A5 will cost some £134million:
- Dualling A1 from Beech Hill to Cloghogue:
Dualling of approximately 12km of the A1 between Beech Hill and Cloghogue to a high quality dual carriageway standard incorporating fully grade separated junctions, central median safety barrier and a hard shoulder. The alignment is largely off-line.
- A1 Junction Improvements:
Provision of grade separation at four junctions at Dromore Road Hillsborough, Dromore Road Banbridge, Dublin Road / Grovehill Road Loughbrickland and Banbridge Road Dromore will be included in this package.
- Dualling A4 from Dungannon to Ballygawley:
Upgrade approximately 20.5km of the A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley as a partially on-line / partially off-line high quality dual carriageway standard incorporating a number of grade separated junctions and central median safety barrier.
- Single carriageway improvements to the A4 at Annaghilla:
A 3.8km realignment of the A4 single carriageway route between Ballygawley and Augher, including a section of 2 + 1 overtaking opportunity.
- Single carriageway improvements to the A5 at Tullyvar:
3.1km realignment of the A5 single carriageway route between Ballygawley and Aughnacloy, including climbing lanes either side of Tullyvar Hill.
- Operation and maintenance of the M1 Motorway from Sprucefield to Dungannon, the A4 from Dungannon to Ballygawley and the A1 from Sprucefield to the border for 30 years.
- Including for construction, land and preparation costs, the overall capital value of DBFO Package two is some £316million.
- Strategic Investment Board Limited (SIB), an agency of the Office of the First Minister & the Deputy First Minister, was established as a company under the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative in 2003 to address the legacy of under-investment in Northern Ireland's infrastructure. It has three main roles: to help deliver key investment programmes and projects; to support reform of public services; and to build a 10 year investment strategy for Northern Ireland. SIB's fresh approach to infrastructure development is demonstrated throughout its work, across education, health, transport, water, waste, housing and regeneration and ICT. Detailed information on the Strategic Investment Board can be accessed at - www.sibni.org.
Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0007. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
