Norwest Holst faces HA grilling over engineering delays

Norwest Holst is facing a grilling from the Highways Agency (HA) this week over why its planned engineering works two weeks ago on the M20 in Kent overran by over eight hours, causing a 16km queue of traffic.

The contractor is working on the £4.9m junction 10 contract of the M20 installing a new bridge crossing as part of a development scheme funded by Taylor Woodrow Developments.

CJ has learned that problems with the bridge sections, and the mechanical failure of a crane which had to be repaired at the site, meant that repair work which was due to finish at 10am on the Sunday didn’t finish until 6.15pm causing traffic chaos.

The HA told CJ it expected a full explanation from Norwest Holst during a debrief scheduled this week. The agency also wants assurances that the contractor has the correct systems in place for another closure next weekend.

“We will be wanting to find out exactly what went wrong and that we won’t be seeing another repeat performance,” said an HA spokesman.

Asked whether penalties would be imposed on the contractor he added: “I can’t  answer that until we have had the debrief.”

Norwest Holst refused to comment on the problems on the contract, or what it would be saying at the debrief.