Octavius Secures £112.5m Walsgrave Junction Upgrade
National Highways has awarded Octavius Infrastructure the contract to design and construct the £112.5 million A46 Walsgrave Junction upgrade.
Octavius Infrastructure previously delivered the first phase of the Coventry Junctions upgrade at the nearby Binley Junction, which opened to the public in November 2022. This next phase aims to further improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area.
National Highways announced its preferred route for Walsgrave Junction in June 2022, following a public consultation. Surveys and assessments are currently underway to refine the design before another public consultation later this year. The updated plans will be shared before submitting the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, a necessary step in gaining approval for the project.
According to the Office of Rail and Road’s annual assessment (2021-22), this scheme was among several projects that had their schedules revised in agreement with the Government. The DCO application was initially expected to be submitted during the 2022-23 financial year.
National Highways senior project manager, Joe Mulqueen, emphasised the significance of the scheme, stating:
“This much-needed upgrade to Walsgrave Junction will bring safer and more reliable journeys both for the local communities enduring the current congestion and delays, as well as for drivers using the A46 in Coventry. This scheme is incredibly important because the A46 is a strategic link between the East and West Midlands, connecting Coventry and Warwickshire to the motorway network.”
Gavin Pritchard, Managing Director for Highways at Octavius Infrastructure, expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying:
“We’re delighted to have been appointed as the main contractor at Walsgrave Junction, the next phase of the A46 Coventry Junctions upgrade programme. This follows our successful delivery of the flyover scheme at Binley Junction.”
This major infrastructure project is expected to enhance safety, ease congestion, and improve connectivity between key transport routes in the Midlands region.