A MULTI-BILLION pound project which will widen the section of the M25 that runs past South Mimms was officially opened today (Wednesday). Transport minister Sadiq Khan visited junction 16 of the country s busiest motorway to mark the beginning of a �6.2

A MULTI-BILLION pound project which will widen the section of the M25 that runs past South Mimms was officially opened today (Wednesday).

Transport minister Sadiq Khan visited junction 16 of the country's busiest motorway to mark the beginning of a �6.2bn, 30-year work and maintenance scheme.

The first phase will see the stretch between junction 16 and junction 23 for South Mimms, which connects the M25 with the A1(M), extended from three lanes to four.

Work is expected to be completed by 2012, in time for the London Olympics, at a cost of �580m.

Mr Khan said that motorists would "benefit from the massive investment" and that the job opportunities the works will create would provide a "huge boost to the economy".

The new widening scheme is expected to create between 3,500 to 4,000 new job opportunities.