The Smart Motorway Alliance (SMA), created and operated by National Highways, has chosen its roster of contractors and partners for the framework with Nottingham-based McCann selected to work for the alliance across five packages of work.
The Smart Motorway Alliance contract was awarded in April 2021, with seven strategic partners selected to manage the framework on behalf of National Highways – including awarding works to appropriate contractors. These partners include Fluor, Jacobs, WSP, Balfour Beatty, Costain and BAM/Morgan Sindall joint venture.
Over a 10-year period, the alliance framework will be responsible for £4.5bn worth of projects across smart motorway infrastructure on behalf of the government, with work commencing in 2021.
McCann has been chosen to work for the alliance across five packages covering motorway communications, road lighting, direction drilling, traffic signs, permanent CCTV systems, radar masts, MIDAS Outstation and side fire radar, ramp metering and traffic counting.
It will be a Tier 1 contractor across four of the five packages it has successfully won – taking the lead on planning, budgeting and delivery. The allocation of projects to McCann is still to be determined but the value of works is estimated to be in excess of £49m per annum.
News of working for the Smart Motorway Alliance aligns with the company’s three year growth plan set out at the start of 2021, which sets the target of expanding the firm by £60m – £150m by 2024.
McCann’s strategic highways director, Clive Leadbetter, said: “Once again we’re delighted to be strengthening our ties to key clients and the Smart Motorway Alliance is an exciting new framework from National Highways which will deliver on key strategic objectives for the government in how we safely and efficiently maintain and upgrade our motorway network using the latest technologies.
“Coupled with our SDF wins, we are perfectly placed to achieve our ambitious growth targets in the coming years and show why McCann is a major player in the successful delivery of the country’s infrastructure.”
Managing Director, John McCann, said: “The Framework has been designed to encourage collaboration across our industry and we’re really looking forward to partnering with a number of firms we’re already well acquainted with such as Balfour Beatty, Costain and BAM/Morgan Sindall joint venture.
“We’re proud to be delivering once again for National Highways and to have been selected to work for the Smart Motorway Alliance. Our team brings decades of highway and motorway expertise to the framework across multiple disciplines and our track record for safe and reliable delivery speaks for itself.”
