Work starts on £5bn M25 widening

Site clearance work started this week to pave the way for construction to start on the £5bn privately-funded M25 widening scheme.

The Highway's Agency decision is a show of faith in the Balfour Beatty-led ConnectPlus consortium, which is struggling to raise funds for the deal during the current banking crisis.

Financial close on the scheme has been delayed until February while ConnectPlus tries to raise the cash. The consortium was named preferred bidder in July.

Work starting this week involves site preparation and vegetation clearance alongside two sections of the M25 between junctions 16 and 18 and junctions 27 and 29.

Construction work proper on widening the first stretch of motorway between junctions 16 and 23 is planned to start next spring.

The M25 Design Build Finance and Operate contract involves widening most of the remaining three-lane sections of the motorway and maintaining the M25 and its structures over a 30-year period.

A source close to the project said: "It is no secret that the consortium has been finding it tricky to raise funds in the current climate and the original timetable to award the final contract has slipped a bit.

"This might only be a small job in terms of the prep work but it is a show of faith by the Highways Agency that the widening scheme as a whole is going ahead as planned."