Skanska wins A63 bypass job

Skanska has won the contract to build the 10km A63 Selby bypass in North Yorkshire for the Highways Agency (HA) in a deal worth £43m.

The contractor beat off a challenge from its nearest rival, the Amec/Alfred McAlpine joint venture, as well as three other firms, Mowlem, Nuttall and Costain.

The HA has taken almost four months to reach a verdict on the project, which is a "two-envelope job" based on quality and cost submissions. The client waited right until the expiry of the tender validity period - which runs out this week - before it officially let anxious contractors know its decision.

But in a letter to CJ this week (see page 8) Steve Rowsell, the HA's procurement director, denies there have been "significant delays" in letting the deal.

Rowsell says that preliminary work on the design and construct Selby deal will kick off this month, with a start on site expected in October. Completion is set for mid-2004.

Work includes a 100m swing bridge over the River Ouse, 2.8km of associated roads, six junctions and seven bridges.

The scheme will divert the A63 from the west of Thorpe Willoughby to the north east of Selby.