Five companies in battle to mend our roads
Thursday, 23rd August 2012.
Mending potholes in the roads in Suffolk will soon be down to a private company, and all five applicants have got through to the next round of the tendering process.
Suffolk County Council is selecting a company to carry out its highway maintenance from next April.
The successful private company will be responsible for work such as repairing potholes, gritting winter roads and carrying out routine maintenance for at least the next five years.
The companies going through to the next phase of the bidding are: Amey, Balfour Beatty Workplace, Carillion/Mott MacDonald, Enterprise Mouchel and MGWSP (May Gurney/WSP).
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads, planning and transport, said: “The current arrangements for our highways maintenance already includes using both external contractors and in-house expertise, but this move will create a joined-up and coherent arrangement for the service in the future.
"The important point to stress is that from a public point of view, the contract arrangement will secure high standards for Suffolk roads and improvements will continue to be made in the county.
“We have been clear that we will retain our area offices to keep local relationships for parishes and town councils for highways matters and by working with Norfolk County Council as a neighbouring authority also going through this process, we have shared learning to make sure that we get the best deal for Suffolk’s residents.”
From April 2013, the selected company is expected to save council tax payers £4.5million a year.
All five companies made it through the short listing process after Suffolk County Council felt the quality of each submission was sufficiently high to warrant keeping them all in. The decision means more competition for those left in the process.
The council will invite all five companies to give their final submissions in mid-September.
The county council’s cabinet will decide on the award of the contract at its meeting on December 11.
Suffolk County Council is selecting a company to carry out its highway maintenance from next April.
The successful private company will be responsible for work such as repairing potholes, gritting winter roads and carrying out routine maintenance for at least the next five years.
The companies going through to the next phase of the bidding are: Amey, Balfour Beatty Workplace, Carillion/Mott MacDonald, Enterprise Mouchel and MGWSP (May Gurney/WSP).
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads, planning and transport, said: “The current arrangements for our highways maintenance already includes using both external contractors and in-house expertise, but this move will create a joined-up and coherent arrangement for the service in the future.
"The important point to stress is that from a public point of view, the contract arrangement will secure high standards for Suffolk roads and improvements will continue to be made in the county.
“We have been clear that we will retain our area offices to keep local relationships for parishes and town councils for highways matters and by working with Norfolk County Council as a neighbouring authority also going through this process, we have shared learning to make sure that we get the best deal for Suffolk’s residents.”
From April 2013, the selected company is expected to save council tax payers £4.5million a year.
All five companies made it through the short listing process after Suffolk County Council felt the quality of each submission was sufficiently high to warrant keeping them all in. The decision means more competition for those left in the process.
The council will invite all five companies to give their final submissions in mid-September.
The county council’s cabinet will decide on the award of the contract at its meeting on December 11.
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