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The Project Control Framework
This framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major road improvement projects.
M1-A1 Link Road (Lofthouse to Bramham)
M1-A1 Link Road (Lofthouse to Bramham)
- Status
- Current
- Located in
- Area 12
- Scheme type
- Design, Build, Finance and Operate
- Updates
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The Project
The M1-A1 Link Road is a dedicated motorway link which provides strategic connections between the M1 and M62 motorways to the south of Leeds and the A1 Trunk Road south of Wetherby. In addition to the construction of the M1-A1 Link Road the DBFO Company improved the M62 east of Junction 28 to Lofthouse Interchange J29, the M1 from Junction 42 near Belle Isle, and upgraded the A1(T) from Micklefield to Bramham to motorway standard.
Key Data
| Length of Project Road | Nearly 18.64 miles (Nearly 30km) |
|---|---|
| Estimated Construction Cost | £200 million * |
| Contract Award | 26th March 1996 |
| Commencement | Construction started July 1996 |
| First Opened to Traffic | Fully opened to traffic on 4th February 1999 |
| End of Contract Period | 1 April 2026 |
| DBFO Company | Connect M1-A1 Limited |
| Type of Road | 2 to 6 Lane Dual Carriageway |
| Shareholders | Balfour Beatty & Barclays Infrastructure Investors |
| Contractors | Balfour Beatty Joint Venture |
(* = Value taken from pre-qualification document)
Discussion
The M1-A1 Link Road (Lofthouse to Bramham) was built as part of the Government's Private Finance Initiative. The 30-year concession agreement (contract) was awarded to Yorkshire Link Limited in March 1996. The Concessionaire changed its name to Connect M1-A1 Limited in June 2004; the concession partners remain unchanged.
The length of the M1-A1 Link Road is approximately 18.64 miles (30 kilometres) comprising 3, 4, 5 and 6-lane carriageways. Along the route there are 165 structures ie: 50 bridges, 7 culverts, 86 signal gantries, 15 CCTV Masts and 8 MS3s (motorway signals type 3).
A new Dual 3-lane motorway has been built between the M1 at Belle Isle (Junction 43) and the A1 at Hook Moor (Junction 43). The work commenced 1996 and the road opened to the general public on 4 February 1999.
The M62 has been widened to 4-lanes in each direction between Junction 28 (Tingley) and Junction 29 (Lofthouse Interchange). The road widening scheme was carried out between March 1996 and December 1998.
The M1 has been widened to 5-lanes in each direction between Lofthouse Interchange (Junction 42) and a new interchange at Belle Isle (Junction 43). At Lofthouse Interchange, dedicated free-flow motorway links connect the M1 to the M62 west, from both north and south direction.
Between Hook Moor (Junction 43) and Bramham Interchange (Junction 44) the A1(M) consists of 5-6 lane, 4-lane and 3-lane carriageway sections.
During the 30-year concession period the DBFO Company will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the M1-A1 Link Road.
The network also includes the operation and maintenance of the circulatory carriageways and associated link roads which form M1 Junction 45 and M1 Junction 46.
Shadow Toll payments made to the concession company are calculated on the number of vehicle-kilometres travelled on the M1-A1 Link Road. There is no direct payment of 'Tolls' by road users.
Connect M1-A1 Limited employs Balfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering as its Managing Agent to carry out routine and winter service operations on the Link road. Although Connect operate and maintain the M1-A1 Link Road, the Secretary of State remains the Highways Authority for the Link Road.
