After four years of providing value engineering input to an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract for Costain and Highways England, Walters have now commenced major earthworks on the M6-M56 project. The aim of the client was to design and construct a scheme to relieve congestion and improve safety on the A556 which connects the busy M56 and M6 motorways. This £100 million scheme, designated by Highways England as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, will see the A556 between Knutsford and Bowdon in Cheshire and used by 50,000 vehicles a day, upgraded to dual carriageway standard.

The bypass, which is one of the first schemes of its type to go through the new national planning process, will take traffic away from the communities of Bucklow Hill, Mere and Over Tabley and Junction 7 of the M56 will be upgraded.

In order to complete the project, Walters will move in excess of 1,000,000m3 of material and major remodelling of one of the busiest motorway junctions on the M56 will also be required. It is anticipated that in excess of 250,000m3 of material will need to be improved in order to render it acceptable for use within the works.