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27th November 2019

Ainscough Crane Hire Helps A9 Dualling Project Reach Key Milestone

Ainscough Crane Hire Helps A9 Dualling Project Reach Key Milestone

Balfour Beatty’s work on Transport Scotland’s ambitious A9 dualling programme in Scotland, on which Ainscough Crane Hire serves as the sole lift supplier, has reached a key milestone.

Transport Scotland’s dualling of the A9 between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam commenced a year ago. The 9.5 kilometre stretch currently under construction is the most southerly point of the £3 billion programme, which will see the A9 dualled between Perth and Inverness.

As of October 2019, 250,000 man hours have been spent working on the project between Luncarty and Birnam, which has seen the creation of 14 jobs, and the employment of four apprentices and five graduates.

The A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project marked its first major milestone in July with the completion of the first beam lift to construct a new bridge at the Stanley/Tullybelton junction.

This new bridge is the culmination of months of planning and preparation by Transport Scotland, Balfour Beatty and Ainscough Crane Hire.

A total of 15 precast concrete beams, ranging from 22m to 25m in length and weighing between 49 and 57 tonnes, were lifted into place over the A9 carriageway during a series of three overnight closures to create the bridge deck.

Ainscough used a 750t crane to lift and secure the beams into place each night to form the Stanley/Tullybelton overbridge, which is the biggest structure of the project.

Adrian Hanson, business development manager – Falkirk depot, Ainscough Crane Hire, said: “The A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project continues to be a pleasure for our team to work on. Seeing the beams installed on the first bridge was a source of huge pride to our team and it’s an honour to have contributed to the 250,000 hours that have been worked on the project so far. We look forward to collaborating closely with Balfour Beatty and Transport Scotland as the project continues.”

Alan Brisbane, project manager for Balfour Beatty, said: “Over the next few months, road users and the local communities will see a distinct change in the landscape as the line of the new carriageway begins to emerge.

“There is still a great deal of work to be done, both in terms of construction and in delivering more community benefits to the local area, but I am confident we will exceed expectation on both fronts.”

The works between Luncarty and the Pass of Birnam are expected to be completed in spring 2021.

Once the works are completed there will be 15km of continuous dual carriageway between the Inveralmond roundabout in Perth to Birnam.

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