South MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Phase 1a - AWARD

Reading Borough Council is seeking an experienced highways contractor to undertake the first phase of works as part of the Councils ‘Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) South Scheme’. The scheme consists of a series of highway improvements along the A33 corridor, focussed on improving public transport journey times.

The ‘MRT South’ will link central Reading town centre to existing / proposed residential and employment areas to the south of Reading including Green Park and the new Mereoak Park and Ride facility. The phase being advertised as part of this procurement exercise is ‘Phase 1a’, which runs from Reading International Business Park (RIBP) to Imperial Way.

The works associated with Phase 1a comprise of the following elements: • Widening of the A33 to create a new 3.5m wide bus lane in the south bound direction from Imperial Way to the Basingstoke Road junction. The road widening occurs largely in the existing carriageway central reservation although some third party land is required from the adjacent Worton Grange site (this land is being provided as a safeguarded corridor by the developer). • Widening of the RIBP gyratory to create a new 3.5m wide bus lane in the southbound section. The road widening largely occurs in the existing central circulatory island. • Amendments to the traffic signal systems at the A33 / Basingstoke Road and A33 / RIBP junctions. • Associated with the above are site clearance (including trees and scrub, taking down of traffic signs, lighting and street furniture etc), vehicle restraint systems, surface water drainage, earthworks, kerbing paving and road surfacing, traffic signals and street lighting. • Adjustments to Statutory utility equipment.