Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has been awarded a £300 million contract to operate, maintain and improve part of the Highways Agency's strategic route network in the Northwest, in a 70:30 joint venture with Mott MacDonald, mobilised in November 2012.  The JV will maintain and improve over 500km of motorway and trunk roads in Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and parts of Lancashire.

The Area 10 Asset Support Contract (ASC) runs over the next five years and adds to Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald's current portfolio which includes the Area 4 contract in the South East. Balfour Beatty is a leading partner in the design, finance, operation and maintenance of the strategic route network in England and the key partner in the current M25 DBFO contract, the largest of its kind in the UK, as well as several DBFO contracts in the North and South West.

Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: "In awarding this contract to our joint venture, the Highways Agency has recognised our excellent track record in delivering high profile projects for the highways sector.  As a Group, we are committed to growing our share of the transport maintenance market, both in the UK and overseas and are one of the longest established providers in this vital service-led sector."

Analyst/investor enquiries:
Basak Kotler
Balfour Beatty plc
Tel 020 7216 6924

Media enquiries:
Rebecca Salt
Balfour Beatty
Tel: 020 7216 6865

Notes to Editors:

ASC contracts replaced the old MAC and EMAC contracts this year and the Area 10 contract is the second of its kind to be awarded. The new contracts aim to ensure motorways and major 'A' roads are maintained to high standards while delivering substantial savings to help the Highways Agency deliverits contribution to reducing the budget deficit.

1. Balfour Beatty (www.balfourbeatty.com) is a world-class infrastructure group with capabilities in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.

We work in partnership with our customers principally in the UK, continental Europe, the US, South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East, who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise.

Key infrastructure markets include transportation (roads, rail and airports); social infrastructure (education, specialist healthcare, and various types of accommodation); utilities (water, gas and power transmission and generation) and commercial (offices, leisure and retail).

The Group delivers services essential to the development, creation and care of these infrastructure assets including project design, financing and management, engineering and construction, and facilities management services.

Balfour Beatty employs 50,000 people around the world.