National Highways (UK) selected the More Joint Venture composed of Webuild (42,5%), FCC Construccion (42.5%) and BeMo Tunnelling (15%) as its Preferred Bidder for the GBP1.25 billion (EUR1.48 billion) contract for the tunnel and main construction work for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme past Stonehenge. The A303 Stonehenge - Main Works Contract covers the construction of the proposed 2 miles (3.3 km) tunnel’s civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and technology components along with the approach 8 miles (approximately 13 km) of free-flowing, high-quality dual carriageway roads, a new bypass to the north of the village of Winterbourne Stoke and junctions with the A345 and A360 either side of the World Heritage Site. Estimated duration construction works 5 years.
The tunnel alignment will be underneath the World Heritage Site, closely following the existing A303 route, but a further 50 metres away from the Stonehenge monument, avoiding important archaeological sites, and avoiding intrusion on the view of the setting sun from the stones during the winter solstice .
The contract will only become live once the Secretary of State for Transport has concluded the current process of relooking at the planning application for scheme, following the quashing of the decision to grant the Development Consent Order last year.
The More Joint Venture will be supported with a design partnership made up of Atkins, Jacobs and Sener.
