Latest traffic information

Breadcrumb Navigation

You are here:

  1. Home »
  2. Road Projects »
  3. Area 3 »
  4. Road Project

Website Navigation

Useful Links

Feature

Better information for your journey

The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.

Quick Links

How We Manage Our Roads

In this section you can find out more about how we manage and maintain these roads and plan for the future

The Project Control Framework

On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.

Traffic news on your desktop

Helpful ways to access the latest traffic information when you need it.

M40 Denham to Warwick

M40 Denham to Warwick

Status
Current
Located in
Area 3, Area 5, Area 8, Area 9Map of the Agency's Operational Areas
Scheme type
Design, Build, Finance and OperateRoad Schemes Managed by the Highways Agency
Updates
Get email alerts when we publish new information Get email alerts when we publish new information

The Project

The M40 is a strategic route between London and Birmingham. It acts as an alternative to the M1/M6 between those two locations and also provides part of a high standard route between the Midlands and the South Coast ports. The project road runs from Junction 1 (the junction with the A40 at Denham) to Junction 15 (the junction with the A46 at Warwick).

Key Data

Length of Project Road 122km
Estimated Construction Cost £65 Million (approximate cost of the widening Jct 1A - 3, NOT the construction cost of the M40)
Contract Award 8 October 1996
Commencement 6 January 1997
First Opened to Traffic Widening J1A - 3 fully opened to traffic 22 December 1998
End of Contract Period 5 January 2027
DBFO Company UK Highways M40 Ltd
Type of Road Motorway
Shareholders John Laing Investments Ltd & Semperian PPP Investments Ltd
Contractors DBFO Construction Contractors, Tarmac & Laing Construction. Current Contractors Carillion Highways Maintenance & Golden River

(* = Value taken from pre-qualification document)

Discussion

The M40 is a strategic motorway linking the Midlands and the South East, as an alternative to the M1/M6.

With the M1 and the Southern M42, it forms part of the triangle of motorways connecting the industrial and commercial centres in the Midlands and North, to the South Coast ports and the Channel Tunnel.

The M40 is a dual three lane motorway with hard shoulder. In February 1995, junction 1 (Denham, Bucks) to junction 15 (Warwick, Warks) was announced as a scheme to be let under the Government's Private Finance Initiative, and on 8th October 1996, UK Highways Ltd were awarded the contract to maintain and operate it.

  • M40 Junction 1 - 15: 122kms long;
  • Construction of the M40 was begun in the late 1960's and completed in January 1991 with the opening of the length between junctions 8 and 15;
  • Junction 4 - 5 widening opened 7 August 1991;
  • 6 January 1997: Commencement of contract;
  • Junction 1A - 3 widened to four lanes, completed 12 January 1999.