M Group Highways Completes Major Piling Phase on Botley Bypass Scheme

M Group Highways has finished a major phase of piling works on the Botley Bypass, marking a key step forward in the project being delivered in partnership with Hampshire County Council.

The programme required an extensive foundation system, including 130 bridge piles driven 21 metres into the ground, alongside more than 1,000 ground-stabilisation piles. The scale of the work reflects the challenging conditions on the site, which lies within a flood-risk zone and sits above a high-water table.

Two piling rigs equipped with six-tonne hydraulic hammers have been used to install the steel piles, which collectively weigh around 2,745 tonnes. If laid out in a line, the piles would stretch for nearly 7.5 miles.

During the Early Contractor Involvement stage, M Group Highways reviewed the original augered piling design and proposed switching to driven piles. That redesign has delivered significant efficiencies, reducing installation time, material requirements and the extent of temporary works.

The team reports notable carbon savings as well, achieved partly through the use of Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) concrete—a lower-carbon alternative that replaces a portion of traditional Portland cement with a by-product from coal-fired power generation.

Environmental considerations have been central to the work. The project team has collaborated closely with the Environment Agency and fisheries specialists to minimise ecological disturbance, particularly to fish populations. Piling was scheduled outside key migration periods, nets were deployed to keep fish away from active work areas, and underwater noise and water quality have been continuously monitored.