Re Contract

Carillion PLC
14 February 2003



CARILLION AWARDED M6 CONTRACT BY HIGHWAYS AGENCY


Business and Construction Services company Carillion has been awarded the £65
million contract for the upgrade of the A74 dual carriageway between Carlisle
and Guardsmill to a three lane motorway.



This nine kilometre stretch of the A74 - the missing link in the M6 route
between England and Scotland - carries 42,000 vehicles a day, around three
quarters of all cross border traffic, including some 10,000 heavy goods
vehicles.



The contract has been awarded under the Highways Agency's 'Early Contractor
Involvement' scheme to help speed up delivery.  Under this innovative and
collaborative approach, Carillion, in conjunction with design consultants
Symonds and CarlBro, will develop the scheme and draw up detailed proposals for
publication by the end of the year.  If necessary, a public inquiry will be held
and subject to the outcome, construction is planned to start in 2005/2006.



Commenting on the award, Carillion Chief Executive John McDonough says, 'We are
delighted to have been awarded this important £65 million contract for the
missing link of the M6.  This follows hard on the heels of the £231 million Area
12 Highway Maintenance contract recently awarded to Carillion-WSP, and is
therefore a further significant success in the transport sector, one of our key
areas for growth.  We strongly support the Early Contractor Involvement scheme
and look forward to taking this scheme forward in collaboration with the
Highways Agency.'



Notes to editors

The proposals for the route involve widening the existing A74 to make a
three-lane motorway in both directions, as well as creating a separate road for
local traffic to run alongside.  Other major work will involve building a new
bridge over the River Esk to carry non-motorway traffic and replacing the
Mossband Viaduct, which carries the A74 over the West Coast mainline.  Much of
the scheme seeks to use existing roads infrastructure, minimising both cost and
the impact on the surrounding countryside.




Carillion's strong construction capability is a key part of its strategy for
growth, both in its own right and in support of the development of its PPP
Investment and Business Services activities.  It enables the Group to offer
integrated solutions, from project finance through construction to lifetime
asset management and operation.  Carillion's strength lies in its well balanced
market and geographical positions and its ability to target growth areas,
particularly transport, health, defence and its international businesses, where
there are increasing opportunities to export its PPP and Business Services
skills.



For further information contact



John Denning     Director Group Corporate Affairs      01902 316384






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