Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, Dartford
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the M25 across the Thames and is one of the busiest crossings in the UK.
Project Overview and Partnership
- Span up to 4.5 metres across joint locations
- Carry live motorway traffic at national speed limit
- Install overnight to minimise disruption
The Challenge
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the M25 across the Thames and is one of the busiest crossings in the UK. With six life-expired expansion joints, each weighing up to 80 tonnes, due for replacement, the client needed a temporary road surface that would keep traffic moving while contractors worked beneath the carriageway.
Mayflower Engineering was commissioned by Connect Plus Services (CPS) — a Joint Venture between Balfour Beatty, Atkins Ltd and EGIS Road Operation (UK) — to manufacture the modular ramp plates that formed the temporary over-ramp system, working alongside Flint & Neill and Jackson Civils.
Conventional temporary road solutions could not meet the structural performance required without imposing speed restrictions or lengthy closures. The plates also had to be robust enough to withstand heavy HGV traffic for extended periods, yet remain modular for quick transport, installation and removal.
Mayflower’s Engineering Solution
Structural Design
Capable of supporting constant high-volume motorway loading
Engineered Tolerances
Level ride quality maintained at speed
Modular Construction
Rapid assembly and removal capability
Surface Finish
Tyre grip maintained in all weather conditions
Durability
Repeated use across multiple M25 schemes
Outstanding Results
The project won a Temporary Works Award at the British Construction Industry Awards, reflecting the technical achievement and operational value of the solution. The system is now retained for repeated use across the motorway network, demonstrating its long-term value and reliability.
Vehicles Crossed
Over 30 million vehicles crossed the ramp whilst works took place
Unplanned Closures
No unplanned closures or traffic slow-downs were required
Joints Replaced
Expansion joints replaced safely beneath live traffic
Engineering Excellence Delivered
Mayflower’s ramp plates played a central role in one of the UK’s most demanding motorway maintenance projects. By combining heavy fabrication expertise with transport-ready modular design, the team delivered a practical engineering solution that solved a complex problem without disrupting one of the country’s most critical road links.
Technical Innovation
Precision-engineered modular system designed for extreme loading conditions
Operational Success
Zero disruption to 30 million+ vehicles whilst maintaining national speed limits
Industry Recognition
British Construction Industry Award for outstanding temporary works solution