Kent renews major traffic signal maintenance contract with Telent

Kent County Council has renewed its long-running traffic signal maintenance partnership with Telent following a competitive tender process, extending one of the UK’s largest local authority traffic technology contracts.

The renewed agreement will see Telent continue maintaining traffic signal junctions, pedestrian crossings and associated roadside systems across Kent’s extensive highway network — a relationship that has now spanned more than 20 years.

The contract is regarded as one of Telent’s largest traffic signal maintenance agreements nationwide and covers a complex network of both modern and ageing infrastructure across the county.

Under the new deal, Telent will continue delivering both planned preventative maintenance and rapid-response repair services aimed at keeping traffic systems operating safely and efficiently while minimising disruption for road users.

Kent County Council said continuity of service was a major factor behind the reappointment, allowing the same engineering teams, operational knowledge and maintenance systems to remain in place without interruption.

Traffic signals play a critical role in managing congestion and maintaining safety across Kent’s roads, with failures often leading to significant delays and operational disruption for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

The county is also one of the largest users of Telent’s Optima Hub smart city platform, with nearly 470 traffic signal sites connected to the system.

The technology provides real-time monitoring across more than 60% of Kent’s traffic junctions and crossings, enabling faults to be identified and responded to more quickly.

Telent said the platform also allows it to manage a large number of legacy and multi-vendor traffic systems through a single operational interface, improving resilience and reducing maintenance complexity.

The company’s reappointment was also supported by its health and safety performance and service record throughout the existing contract period, during which no major incidents were reported.

Paul Owen, Telent’s director of traffic technology, said maintaining a network of Kent’s scale required both technical expertise and detailed local operational knowledge.

“Being reappointed by KCC is a strong endorsement of our ability to deliver safely, consistently and with minimal disruption,” he said.

Kent County Council cabinet member for highways and transport Peter Osborne said reliable traffic signal infrastructure remained essential to keeping the county moving safely and efficiently.

“We’re really pleased to be continuing this long-standing partnership, helping make sure journeys across the county stay dependable for everyone who uses our roads,” he said.