Swindon & Wiltshire News
National Highways names preferred bidder for £1.25 billion Stonehenge tunnel scheme
National Highways has named its preferred bidder for the £1.25 billion A303 upgrade scheme, which includes the construction of a tunnel near Stonehenge World Heritage Site.
MORE is a joint venture comprising FCC Construcción, WeBuild and BeMo Tunnelling.
National Highways said MORE would use local, regional and national suppliers and contractors to help them deliver the scheme, and will be supported with a design partnership made up of Atkins, Jacobs and the Spanish company, Sener.
The project involves the construction of eight miles of dual carriageway and a two-mile-long tunnel. A new Winterbourne Stoke bypass is also included in the plans.
The announcement follows a two-and-a-half-year comprehensive procurement process with shortlisted tenderers developing their design solutions for the project.
Derek Parody, National Highways’ project director for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, said: “The contract will only become live once the Secretary of State for Transport has concluded the current process of re-looking at the planning application for scheme, following the quashing of the decision to grant the Development Consent Order last year.
“Announcing our preferred bidder in no way pre-empts any decision. Once the planning process is finalised, and if the scheme is given the go-ahead, having a contractor in place will ensure programme timescales are maintained and will put us in the strongest possible position to deliver the scheme and the benefits we know it can.”
The contracts for archaeology and preliminary work were awarded in 2020 with Wessex Archaeology and Octavius Infrastructure (formerly Osborne) announced as the successful bidders.
Image: Highways England
