Graham and Aecom have been appointed to complete detailed designs for a £332m highways and infrastructure scheme around Didcot.
CN100 contractor Graham announced yesterday (6 February) that it will create detailed designs for the planned Culham river crossing and Clifton Hampden bypass for client Oxfordshire City Council.
Aecom, meanwhile, will design the Didcot Science Bridge (pictured).
The Didcot to Culham river crossing will see a new single carriageway created between the towns, including bridges over the River Thames and Appleford Railway Sidings.
The Clifton Hampden bypass will see a 2.2km single carriageway created around the Oxfordshire village, linking the A415 at Culham to the B4015 north of Clifton Hampden.
The three-span, single-carriageway Didcot Science Bridge will cross the A4130, Great Western mainline railway and Milton Road.
All three projects aim to tackle congestion and improve connectivity around Didcot, while also creating segregated pedestrian and cycling facilities along the roads.
The £332m road infrastructure scheme will also see widening of the A4130. It was approved in December, according to CN’s sister publication New Civil Engineer.
Oxfordshire County Council is procuring a main contractor for the Didcot science bridge and A4310 through framework provider Pagabo in the coming weeks.
Contracts to build the Culham river crossing and Clifton Hampden bypass will be confirmed later this year.
Construction is expected to start on the scheme in 2026, with funding secured from National Highways, Oxfordshire County Council, Homes England and Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy, said: “Graham has worked on similar projects around the country and has a high commitment to social value and giving back to the local area.
“Its bid was successful as it understood the scheme and its complexities and how the four elements need to tie together.
“This transformative infrastructure development will offer more sustainable travel options in and around Didcot and support the creation of new jobs and economic growth in the Science Vale region.”
Graham was ranked 21st in the CN100 2024 table of top contractors with turnover of £1.12bn and pre-tax profit of £14.8m.
Its contracts director Andrew Henry said the firm has been working closely with Oxfordshire County Council “and key stakeholders” since April 2023 through early contractor involvement.
“This collaborative approach has enabled us to develop the detailed design for these significant infrastructure projects while actively engaging with third-party stakeholders such as Thames Water and Openreach to coordinate necessary utility diversions,” he added.
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Will Ing