Leeds City Council Extends WSP Highways and Transport Partnership

Leeds City Council has agreed a four-year extension to its engineering services contract with WSP, continuing a long-standing collaboration supporting the city’s highways and transport network.

The renewed agreement builds on a partnership that began in 2003, under which WSP has delivered a wide range of technical and consultancy services across Leeds. These have included transport policy development, traffic management, Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) signal operations, highways maintenance and reconstruction, bridge inspections, street lighting, civil and geotechnical engineering, and flood risk management.

Over the past two decades, the arrangement has evolved into a closely integrated working model. WSP specialists have been seconded into council teams, with colocation and embedded roles enabling direct day-to-day collaboration. This structure has allowed the authority to supplement in-house expertise while maintaining continuity across complex infrastructure programmes.

The contract extension is intended to support the delivery of the council’s Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy, which sets out ambitions for a safer, more resilient and efficient transport network capable of accommodating population growth and improving connectivity across the city.

WSP has been involved in several major infrastructure schemes in Leeds. Among the most significant was the replacement of the Regent Street flyover, originally constructed in the 1960s and carrying substantial daily traffic volumes. Delivered in partnership with contractor Balfour Beatty, the scheme was phased to replace sections of the structure sequentially, avoiding a complete junction closure. Advanced 3D and 4D modelling techniques were used to coordinate logistics and stakeholder communications throughout the programme.

The partnership has also supported active travel and public realm improvements, including works around the Corn Exchange, as well as enhancements to transport infrastructure such as Stourton Park and Ride. In addition to high-profile capital projects, WSP has provided ongoing statutory services, including routine bridge inspections and specialist technical support through long-term secondments.

The extended agreement will run alongside the council’s broader transport objectives, which include reducing congestion, improving public transport reliability and increasing opportunities for walking and cycling.