The project will create a dual carriageway through Pallion, running underneath the Queen Alexandra Bridge, into Deptford and onto the city centre and St Mary’s Boulevard.

Aarsleff has started geotechnical works involving the design and construction of a contiguous bored pile retaining wall, a large soil nailed wall and a ground anchor investigation trial.

Andrew Georgeson (Operations Director, Esh Civils) said: “By gaining the successful information from the trial anchors carried out by our partners Aarsleff, we can now verify and continue with our enquiries for detailed design and install for the permanent anchors.

“Schemes of this nature and size don’t come often, we look forward to engaging further with Aarsleff and other specialists to deliver these works which require precise planning and coordination to maintain accessibility for numerous stakeholders”

It is anticipated that over 100 No. ground anchors, some with working loads in excess of 2000 kN will be installed.

Aarsleff’s Senior Geotechnical Consultant Dr. Dan Adams said: “We are delighted with the award of these challenging geotechnical works.

“Delivering an alternative contiguous bored pile wall combined with the large soil nailed retaining structure and the permanent anchors for the Lower Pallion wall will require close team work and good communication with our Client and Clients team in order to deliver the works safely, on time and to budget.”

Aarsleff Managing Director Kevin Hague added: “Major infrastructure schemes like the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor will always require accurate and robust planning as well as logistics and thorough communications between all parties involved throughout the project duration.

“It is therefore a great pleasure of mine to be working with Esh again, a company whom we have built a great working relationship with having worked on several projects before in the North-East.

“In 2016, we stabilised a steep bankside in Pelaw Woods, Durham. In 2018, we installed soil nails for the steepening of an embankment in Gosforth and most recently in 2019 we installed a contiguous pile wall for the road widening scheme on Killingworth Road in Newcastle.”