Member Article

Jones Bros starts work on major highway in Wigan

A leading civil engineering firm has pledged to provide local employment opportunities after starting work on a major project in Wigan.

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is delivering the A49 link road, which will relieve congestion and improve air quality in the town.

And the company is inviting local people to apply for jobs, training, and work placements on the site in partnership with Wigan Council, which will help identify suitable candidates.

Local subcontractors and suppliers will also have opportunities to become involved with the project, which forms part of the council’s commitment to generate economic growth and improve infrastructure.

The Ruthin-based firm, which secured the A49 contract with Wigan Council in June 2018, expects the project to be complete in Spring 2020.

The new route will connect Warrington Road and Goose Green to Westwood Park and the town centre at the Poolstock and Chapel Lane junction.

It will also connect junction 26 of the M6 and M58 motorways with Wigan town centre, providing an improved commute for those travelling in and out of the area.

Jones Bros contracts director, Garod Evans, said: “We’re pleased to get the construction side of the project underway and are confident of a smooth programme of works in the coming months.

“We are keen to ensure the benefits of the scheme extend beyond the construction of a new link road. Anyone interested in career opportunities with us should visit our website, and details on how subcontractors and suppliers can get involved will be shared in due course.

“Jones Bros is a firm that is headquartered relatively close by and this highways project is strategically significant as we continue to pursue civil engineering work across the North West.”

Leader of the council, Councillor David Molyneux, said: “We’re excited that these plans are now underway, meaning that our ambition to grow the local economy and bring more people to Wigan is one step closer.

“Jones Bros have a wealth of experience in the field and they share our social values, meaning that they are the perfect fit for this project.

“There are many benefits to the link road, such as providing businesses and residents with better east-west connectivity in the borough, which is a vital part of the borough’s economic growth strategy.

“Improving connectivity in this way gives people better access to jobs and can encourage businesses to invest in the borough, which is another key priority for us. Each of our schemes aims to provide key transport links and faster journey times for commuters.”

The scheme has been made possible through funding support from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Growth Deal pot, which is managed by Transport for Greater Manchester.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .