The Highways Agency and Transport for London have started the search for firms to work on frameworks worth billions of pounds.
Transport for London has published a tender notice for an eight-year framework agreement for highway maintenance worth up to £1.8 billion, Construction News reported.
Meanwhile, up to 10 contractors are set to compete for a slice of a new £1.12 billion Highways Agency framework.
The Highways Agency is overhauling its existing regional asset support contracts and rationalising them down to two regional umbrella deals for the north and south of the country, Construction Enquirer reported.
Five contractors are expected to be selected for each framework, where £637m will be spent in the north and £485m in the south over three years.
Both Higways Agency frameworks are scheduled to come into operation next Summer. The work includes surfacing works, bridge repairs, technology upgrades, highway improvement and general roadworks.
In London, TfL has drawn up an eight-year framework agreement and split the capital into four key areas, which will each be run by a single firm. The four areas are the north east; north west; central and south.
Between £746m and £1.8bn will be spent on maintaining 580km of the capital’s highways over the period, with the extended term acknowledging the large start up costs in plant and systems.
TfL said that having consulted with the trade association and several contractors it was determined that eight years was the optimum period to achieve best value.
Although work will be primarily carried out on highways, the framework agreement will commission work on housing estates, green space, schools, bus stations, garages, car parks, crematoriums, cemeteries and any other locations requested by the contracting authorities, Construction News reported.
TfL anticipates that between five and seven contractors will be invited to bid.
The works being carried out in Vicars Hill, Ladywell, Lewisham is causing major inconvenience which we are willing to accept. What we find difficulty in understanding is why Thames Water are taking over two weeks to repair two exposed leaks holding up the road contractors from completing their work. The cost must be running into thousands of pounds unnecessarily. I have been on to ‘Thames Water’ on behalf of the Embleton Road residents and they tell me they have to have permission from Lewisham council to close off part of the road. This is absolute nonsense as the road has been closed for weeks now and you can see the water coming out of the exposed pipes. This is bureaucracy gone barmy and must be costing huge sums. Please tell Thames Water to get their finger out and stop wasting public money. we would like the road open again ASAP as we have been inconvenienced long enough. Sorry to be a moaner but I hate seeing our taxes and rates being wasted. John Hatcher