Kier Mobilises for £700M Long-Term Norfolk Highways Contract

Kier has begun mobilisation for its newly awarded highways term service contract with Norfolk County Council, marking the start of a long-term programme to maintain and enhance the county’s extensive road network.

The contract, valued at £700 million and running for up to 14 years, covers the management and upkeep of approximately 9,836km of highways infrastructure. Early mobilisation has included the transfer of more than 100 staff to Kier under TUPE arrangements, supported by a structured onboarding process ahead of service delivery.

Under the agreement, Kier will undertake a comprehensive range of works, including carriageway surfacing and surface dressing, planned and reactive maintenance, drainage upgrades, bridge and structural works, as well as routine activities such as verge cutting and drainage clearance.

Bobbie Perks, general manager at Kier Infrastructure, highlighted the importance of establishing strong foundations at the outset:

“This contract is about long-term delivery, and that starts with early collaboration between all parties. We’re focusing on building the right culture, aligning teams and ensuring we have the processes in place to deliver effectively over the life of the contract.

“It’s fantastic to welcome more than 100 skilled colleagues into the business, whose experience will be vital in delivering improvements that benefit communities across Norfolk.”

Grahame Bygrave, Norfolk County Council’s director of highways, transport and waste, added: “We are pleased to be entering into this long-term partnership with Kier. Our highways team is committed to delivering high-quality services for residents, and we share a strong alignment with Kier in terms of innovation, sustainability and service standards.”

The partnership is expected to drive the adoption of new technologies, support initiatives around active travel and inclusive economic growth, and create employment and training opportunities locally, including targeted support for care leavers.

This latest award further reinforces Kier’s position in the local authority highways sector, adding to its existing portfolio of long-term contracts in areas such as Birmingham, Shropshire, Somerset, and North and West Northamptonshire.