Costain delivers complex schemes, renewals projects and maintenance services across the UK road network.
These infrastructure projects improve people’s lives by connecting communities and regions, reducing journey times and improving safety for road users.
Costain ensures these projects leave a positive, long-term legacy that creates a sustainable future and improves local prosperity, enhances environmental resilience and enables greater social equity. This is fulfilled through a variety of means, including delivering education initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), creating green spaces that allow wildlife to flourish, and improving facilities within communities.
“Costain creates a lasting social and environmental legacy on our roads infrastructure projects for the communities we work in, working closely with partners such as National Highways to develop social value plans that make a difference and support a more prosperous UK."
Richard Paddey Customer and Community Lead at Costain
Richard continues, “In the year when Costain is celebrating its 160th anniversary by donating a record number of volunteering days, our people are donating more of their time and resources than ever. We’re collaborating with our delivery partners and supply chain on a range of sector-wide initiatives to deliver positive change and create a more sustainable future.”
Costain has partnered with National Highways to deliver a diverse set of social value initiatives on roads infrastructure projects across the UK.
M60 – supporting the Manchester Jewish community during construction
As part of our work on the M60 Simister Island project, we have been working closely with the local Jewish community to ensure construction activities do not disrupt the Manchester Eruv, which is an important boundary that enables observant Jewish people to carry essential items, such as pushchairs and wheelchairs, during the Sabbath.
Parts of the Eruv run alongside and across the motorway, with sections incorporating National Highways infrastructure. This meant some planned construction activities, including fencing works and vegetation clearance, had the potential to affect the boundary.
Working collaboratively with the local Rabbi and community representatives, our team mapped the Eruv and introduced bespoke working arrangements. These include planning activities to ensure the boundary remains operational during the Sabbath, facilitating community inspections, consulting before any work that could affect the Eruv, and providing confirmation that the boundary has not been impacted following relevant shifts.
This approach has strengthened relationships with the local community and earned positive feedback from community representatives, who recognised the team's commitment to understanding local needs and maintain open communication throughout the project. By taking the time to understand the communities we work alongside, we're helping to minimise disruption, build trust, and deliver infrastructure improvements that will improve people's lives.
M6 – delivering more than 800 hours of STEM and careers support
We have worked with National Highways to deliver social value initiatives as part of our upgrade of the M6 between junctions 21a and 26, where an extra lane was added on the ten-mile stretch in both directions.
The team volunteered hundreds of hours to ensure an outstanding social value legacy for more than 20 local community groups and charities, as well as delivering more than 800 hours of STEM and careers support to 16 schools in the area. The outcomes included creating an apiary (for beehives) and tuck shop at Millbrook Primary School (see images below), as well as a new sustainable irrigation system for Cleavley Community Forest Garden near Salford.
The efforts resulted in the team winning a prestigious Considerate Constructors Scheme Gold Award and the Green Apple award, which aims to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice.
M1 – improving the lives of local communities and school children
As part of the construction of 41 new emergency areas between junctions 28 and 35A of the M1 to improve safety on the road network, our team left a lasting positive legacy at Ridgeway Infant School, near Derby, by installing a range of improvements, including a giant sandpit, to the school’s outdoor play area.
Check out the video below to learn more.
Costain has also supported the local community on the project, which completed in early 2025, through litter picking, acts of remembrance for the local regiment, and work experience for students from a nearby SEND (Special educational needs and disabilities) school.
A30 – forecasting a 20% biodiversity net gain through environmental initiatives
Costain’s delivery of the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross dualling scheme in Cornwall has had a major focus on ensuring environmental benefits for the area. This includes a green bridge to provide a safe passage across the road for local wildlife, pedestrians and horse riders, as well as the construction of 33 multi-species crossing points and a specially constructed bat barn which is now home to a variety of roosting bat species.
These initiatives have helped a forecast biodiversity net gain of more than 20% across the A30 scheme.
Discover more
If you want to learn more about Costain’s approach to delivering social value on our roads projects, contact our customer and community lead, Richard Paddey ([email protected]).
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