Procurement on Essex council £3bn highways contract announced

The procurement process for a roads maintenance contract in Essex worth up to £3bn has begun.

A new contractor will be appointed to maintain and improve Essex’s road network and related assets from 1 April 2027, the council said today (10 June) in a pipeline notice.

The new contract will run for seven years, ending on 31 March 2034. It is valued at £2.5bn excluding VAT, or £3bn including VAT.

The local authority plans to replace its current Highways Strategic Transformation Contract, which expires on 31 March 2027.

The existing highways service is delivered through an integrated partnership contract between the council and Ringway Jacobs.

Under the new deal, the chosen contractor will carry out reactive and planned maintenance across the network, including the design and delivery of improvement schemes. They will be expected to deliver the service in line with Essex County Council’s policies and growth agenda.