Costain : appointed to deliver A19 improvements

22 March 2019

Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, has been appointed to deliver major improvements on the A19 for Highways England as part of their Regional Investment Programme ('RIP').

Costain has been working with Highways England and local stakeholders to develop the design and delivery strategy for the £125m upgrade scheme.

The improvements at Testo's roundabout will improve severe congestion and reduce drivers' journey times. The roundabout is a major junction linking the north-south A19 corridor with the strategic eastern route around the busy Tyneside conurbation. Following development consent for the project, having been granted by the Secretary of State for Transport in September 2018, construction work is expected to commence imminently.

In partnership with Highways England, Costain is also developing a scheme to improve the adjacent junction at Downhill Lane. Construction there will be integrated into the Testo's improvements.

The A19 appointment follows Costain's six-year RIP framework contract award by Highways England as Delivery Integration Partner in the North Region and in the East Region, announced in November 2018. Although not part of this framework, the A19 improvements are a timely precursor to other major highway schemes planned in the north east under the RIP.

Costain brings significant expertise in the management of complex project delivery and a focus on technology and innovation, which will support the key objectives outlined by Highways England in its Strategic Business Plan for 2015-2020 to improve safety, increase capacity and to improve the user experience across its network.

Andrew Wyllie CBE, chief executive of Costain, commented:

'I am delighted that we are at the forefront of helping Highways England deliver its ambitious Regional Investment Programme, which will significantly enhance network capacity, improving the lives of local people and supporting broad-based economic growth.'

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Costain helps to improve lives with smart infrastructure solutions across the UK's energy, water and transportation infrastructures. We help to safeguard the security, increase the capacity, improve customer service and drive efficiency in our clients' infrastructure programmes. Our strategy is to become the UK's leading smart infrastructure solutions company through our focus on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments or essential maintenance requirements. We offer a broad range of innovative services across the whole life cycle of our clients' assets by integrating complex delivery, consultancy, technology and asset optimisation services. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

Enquiries:

Costain Tel: [phone]
Andrew Wyllie CBE, Chief Executive
Tony Bickerstaff, Chief Financial Officer
Carolyn Rich, Investor Relations Director
Sara Lipscombe, Group Communications Director

Instinctif Partners Tel: [phone]
Mark Garraway
James Gray