Inside Balfour Beatty’s Leeds Inner Ring Road Upgrade

Balfour Beatty’s upgrade of one of Leed’s major critical transport arteries, its Inner Ring Road, is a mammoth project in virtually all ways.

The aim is to keep it safe and serviceable for the 83,000 drivers who use it per day.

Valued at up to £120m (US$160) , the project is expected to take seven years, with a completion date in 2032.

Balfour Beatty is the sole contractor appointed by Leeds City Council to deliver the project strategy that will cover a comprehensive programme of annual maintenance and crucial structural interventions set out along a 2.5 mile route and consisting of 135 structures including tunnels, bridges and extensive retaining walls.

Nick Crossfield, Balfour Beatty’s Divisional CEO for UK Defence, Power & Regional Infrastructure, said: “We are proud to be entrusted to deliver a long-term strategy to protect a route that is fundamental to the economy of Leeds and the wider region.

“Our team has meticulously planned every stage alongside Leeds City Council, to ensure that we can deliver safely, efficiently and to the highest standards, working hand-in-hand with our valued supply chain partners.”

Extending the life of Leeds Inner Ring Road

In addition to the already extensive project, Balfour Beatty will deliver targeted strengthening and refurbishment, including design and build packages to expand the lifespan of four bridges and viaducts, a footbridge and three tunnels. Overall, the works are expected to help with vital traffic flow across the city.

Councillor Peter Carlill, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Transport and Planning, said: “This major investment in planned maintenance will ensure the route remains fit for the future, while supporting our wider Connecting Leeds strategy to manage traffic more effectively and create a more people-focused city centre.

“This work is essential to support Leeds’ continued growth, improve resilience across our transport network, and enable future investment in public transport, walking and cycling.”

While maintenance works are already underway, major structural interventions are slated to commence in 2027.

Angus Murray appointed as new Managing Director

Headquartered in the UK, Balfour Beatty is a construction juggernaut with projects across the country, the US and Asia. In the UK, these include Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear power station in a generation.

The company is undergoing several shifts among its leadership in 2026, including appointing Angus Murray as Managing Director of its UK Major Projects business, effective 1 September 2026.

He will oversee some of Balfour Beatty’s most notable projects including Hinkley Point C and Net Zero Teesside, the UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster. Additionally, he will manage the company’s engagement in emerging complex infrastructure markets, from Small Modular Reactors to the UK reservoir programme.

Angus is no stranger to Balfour Beatty, having lastly worked as Chief Executive of Connect Plus, the consortium which includes Balfour Beatty. The consortium manages the M25 network on behalf of National Highways.

Phil Clifton, Balfour Beatty Divisional CEO, UK Energy & Major Projects, said: “Angus is already a valued member of the Balfour Beatty team and brings first-hand experience of leading some of the UK’s most complex infrastructure programmes. He understands what it takes to deliver safely, reliably and at scale, and his appointment reflects the strength of talent we have across Balfour Beatty.

“His operational experience, customer focus and track record of leading high-performing teams, makes him well placed to take our Major Projects business forward as we deliver for customers today and pursue the next generation of major infrastructure opportunities.”

Angus says: “I’m proud to be taking on this role and to build on the strong track record of our Major Projects business. I’m looking forward to working with our fantastic team and customers to deliver complex infrastructure well, and to make sure our projects create real opportunities for local communities.”

Álvaro del Palacio Tornos will succeed Angus as Chief Executive of Connect Plus. Álvaro is currently the CEO of Autoestrada do Algarve.