A6 Randallstown to Castledawson

Linesight provided comprehensive commercial and programme management services for the A6 Randallstown to Castledawson dualling scheme, ensuring effective cost control, change management and contract administration to manage complexity and maintain delivery certainty across all phases.

Delivered for the Department for Infrastructure, the £190 million A6 Randallstown to Castledawson dualling scheme upgraded 14.7 kilometres of the North Western Transport Corridor, removing the long-standing bottleneck at Toome village and significantly improving east west connectivity across Northern Ireland’s strategic road network.

The scheme was procured through an Early Contractor Involvement process and delivered under an NEC3 Option C negotiated Target Cost Contract. Linesight provided professional construction consultancy and strategic commercial support from procurement through to completion, including cost planning, contract drafting, tender preparation, target cost negotiation, cost management, change management and programme scheduling.

Delivered in two phases, the project comprised 7.3 kilometres between Randallstown and Toome and 7.4 kilometres between Toome and Castledawson. Works included upgrading the existing single carriageway to a new dual two-lane carriageway, construction of 11 structures including overbridges, footway overbridges and underpasses, four separate junctions and approximately 3 kilometres of connector roads around Bellshill.

A significant element of the works between Castledawson and Toome involved extensive online widening of a live road network, requiring complex traffic management to safely maintain traffic flows of up to 20,000 vehicles per day. Linesight supported the client through detailed cost control, change management and programme monitoring to maintain commercial and contractual clarity throughout delivery.

The project faced several challenges, including delayed commencement following a public enquiry and legal proceedings relating to environmental protections for seasonal Whooper Swan colonies. These restrictions required the closure of approximately 5 kilometres of the scheme during the migration period between September and April, resulting in repeated programme disruption. Linesight provided detailed advice on the associated time and cost impacts and supported the management of change under the NEC contract.

Further complexity arose from increases in scope for additional structures, landowner access constraints, the impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic, and Brexit. Linesight worked closely with the Project Management team and Contractor to assess impacts, advise on mitigation measures and manage resulting commercial and programme implications.

Linesight delivered structured change management and impact assessment, enabling effective management of scope growth, environmental constraints and programme disruption.
Linesight provided detailed programme monitoring and advisory support, helping to mitigate the effects of phased delivery, traffic management and restricted working periods.
Linesight supported complex stakeholder and contractor coordination, ensuring alignment across procurement, delivery and contract administration.
Linesight enabled robust commercial management through periods of significant disruption, including COVID-19 impacts, Brexit-related challenges and evolving project scope.