The contract award marks the second large package secured by the earthworks division during 2019, the first being the tunnel excavation’s of London Luton Airport’s DART project.

The M27 smart motorways project will aim to cut journey times between the M3 motorway to Portsmouth giving the capability for four lane running between Junction 4 and 11.

The scope of works for M O’Brien includes the full earthworks and drainage activities for the project and will utilise services from across the group including Skyland Drainage, M O’Brien Plant Hire, and Ashvale Haulage.

Phil Hayden Contracts director at M O’Brien Earthworks said “This contract award is a big achievement for us at this stage and is a testament to the team we have put together at M O’Brien earthworks and the impressive works we have been carrying out this year.

“It’s very exciting for us to be able to display our expertise in a live highways environment.

“The Skyland Drainage division is highly experienced in highways drainage and I’m happy that they will be by our side throughout the project whilst we undertake the earthworks.

“We are very much looking forward to working with the BMJV team and thank them for placing their trust in us to deliver this project.”

In 2016 the M O’Brien group acquired Chalksift limited, a muck shifting outfit established in 1962.

Now rebranded as M O’Brien Earthworks LTD the business has expanded to undertake highways earthworks schemes and more complex bulk excavation projects across the UK.