JONES Bros, in a 50:50 joint venture partnership with Balfour Beatty, has completed the £35m Porthmadog bypass on budget and ahead of schedule.

Carl Sargeant, minister for local government and communities, officially opened the long-awaited new section of the A487 today (Monday, October 17).

Mr Sargeant said: “This essential new bypass will improve journey times along the A487, ease congestion and importantly provide enhanced visibility and safer overtaking opportunities for drivers.”

The 5.3km Porthmadog, Tremadog and Minffordd bypass was built on behalf of the Welsh Government.

It features three junctions, three roundabouts and eight bridges including a landmark three-span viaduct over the environmentally sensitive Glaslyn estuary.

Huw Jones, managing director of Jones Bros, said: “During peak construction, nearly 200 people worked on this project – the vast majority of them from within 50 miles of the site.
“Unusually for a project of this size, around 90 per cent of work was delivered in-house by joint venture personnel and locally-sourced workers.

“I am particularly proud that the scheme has left behind a legacy of experienced civil engineering professionals, whose skills can be applied elsewhere in Wales and beyond.”
Hefin Lloyd Davies, Jones Bros project manager, said: “We are delighted that this important highway project has been completed on budget and ahead of schedule.

“It was a complex project with extensive environmental considerations, works adjacent to four railway lines and over the Glaslyn estuary.

“The project was successfully completed as a result of the dedication and teamwork shown by all those involved.”