Kier Transportation is set to replace Milestone Infrastructure as Somerset Council’s highways term maintenance contractor in an eight-year deal valued at £225m.
The contract covers key maintenance works – including road repairs, drainage, verge cutting and winter service on the county’s 4,172-mile road network.
With its current contract concluding at the end of March 2024, Somerset has been engaged in a tendering process involving suppliers from across the UK since 2021.
In a change to the way it delivers services, the council has divided up the existing contract into four separate deals covering different areas of service delivery.
Mike Rigby, lead member for transport and digital, said: ‘This is a major refresh of our network maintenance services, something we’d not seen for 27 years, so we are committed to building in resilience to climate change, ensuring a safe, serviceable and sustainable network that is fit for purpose for all users and supports the growth of the local economy.
‘Now more than ever it’s vital that we have a financially resilient service that is cost effective, as well as being flexible and agile, attracting the best people and embracing new technologies to enable innovation.’
Kier won the largest contract covering term maintenance and many of the staff currently operating under Milestone will be transferring to Kier when the new contract begins in April.
Three other multi-million-pound contracts covering resurfacing, surface dressing, and new assets will also be awarded ‘in due course’, the council said.
The council said it is working closely with Milestone to ensure that the transfer process is as smooth as possible.
