Highways contract awarded (From Salisbury Journal)

Highways contract awarded

1:18pm Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in Business By Hannah White

A MULTI-million pound contract for highways maintenance in Wiltshire has been awarded to Balfour Beatty Living Places.

The five year contract, worth £150million, was awarded by Wiltshire Council, which said local decision making will be at the forefront.

The contract deals with services such as highway maintenance, grass cutting, litter collection and street lighting.

The services, which also include dealing with winter weather, drainage and bridges, are currently covered by four different organisations, including an in-house team, but under the new contract the works will be carried out by Balfour Beatty Living Places.

Dick Tonge, the council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We welcome this decision and look forward to working with Balfour Beatty Living Places on ensuring key services which affect all our lives are delivered well by one contractor.

“This contract also reflects the significant role our local communities play in recommending highway improvements in their own areas.”

The decision was made as the Government announced Wiltshire would receive a further £3.6million of additional funding for highways maintenance, split over the next two years as part of a drive to improve transport infrastructure across England.

Cllr Tonge said: “This is tremendous news for Wiltshire as it immediately boosts the number of works we can achieve over the next two years to improve our highways network and to counter the effects on the roads of events such as the recent severe flooding.”