£2bn deal will help improve region's motorways

The contract includes parts of the M62 near Bradford and the M1 near Sheffield.

The overall framework contract, which has a value of up to 2bn, is designed to reduce congestion, improve safety and make journey times more reliable.

The framework contract is expected to deliver the motorway schemes by 2015, subject to funding and completion of statutory processes.

The motorways include the M62 hard shoulder running between junctions 25 and 30 near Bradford and the M1 hard shoulder running between junctions 32 and 35a east of Sheffield.

Other key sections include the M6 near Birmingham, the M60 east of Manchester, the M62 north of Manchester, and M4/M5 around Bristol.

Balfour Beatty's chief executive Ian Tyler said: "We have gained substantial expertise in recent years in using technology to actively manage traffic to improve safety, increase capacity and improve journey time reliability on major motorways."

The framework contract may also be used to deliver other schemes which improve capacity and traffic flow, using technology to make journey times more reliable, improve safety and provide better driver information.

Balfour Beatty is a leading UK company in road building and widening schemes.

It also manages and maintains roads throughout the country and is working on the M1/A1 Link in Yorkshire.

At the end of last year the group bolstered its Yorkshire presence with a 10.3m takeover of Strata Construction.

Doncaster-based Strata, a mostly family-owned firm founded 90 years ago, specialises in affordable housing work.

The group said the company would be added to its Mansell building operation, which currently has little presence in the affordable housing market in Yorkshire.

Strata works closely with housing associations across the region, as well as carrying out regeneration projects and contracts in the health and education sector.

Balfour Beatty

Balfour Beatty is a global infrastructure company operating in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.

It works in partnership with customers who are principally based in the UK, the US, South-East Asia and the Middle East.

Its key infrastructure markets include transportation and social infrastructure, which covers education, specialist healthcare, and various types of accommodation.

It also operates in the utilities sector, covering water, gas and power transmission and generation.

In addition it has commercial operations, focusing on offices, leisure and retail and employs more than 50,000 people worldwide.