Ringway Lands £1bn, 21-Year Highways Deal with Kent County Council

Kent County Council has appointed Ringway, a Vinci-owned highways specialist, to take over the county’s long-term road maintenance and improvement programme in a contract valued at around £1bn.

The new highways term maintenance agreement will go live in May 2026 and will run for 21 years, marking one of the longest commitments of its kind in local government. Ringway will succeed Amey, which has operated the service since 2013.

According to the council, the appointment follows a full competitive tender process and is designed to bring fresh momentum to the county’s highways management. The contract is expected to be worth roughly £50m each year.

What the Contract Covers

Under the new arrangement, Ringway will be responsible for:

• Winter service and gritting

• Emergency call-outs, available 24/7

• Pothole and defect repairs

• Routine and structural maintenance of bridges and other assets

  
  

A key feature of the deal is the introduction of performance-based requirements aimed at improving efficiency, repair times and longer-term planning for the county’s extensive road network.

Council and Contractor Reactions

Peter Osborne, Kent County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said the structure of the contract was intentionally designed to give residents clearer results.

“This contract has been shaped to be efficient, transparent and focused on providing visible outcomes,” he said. “A great deal of work has gone into ensuring this delivers real value for council taxpayers.”

Osborne also acknowledged the contribution of Amey, thanking the outgoing provider for supporting the county’s transport network through challenging periods, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit-related supply chain pressures.

Ringway managing director Mitesh Solanki said the company was committed to establishing a strong working partnership with the council and delivering a resilient, dependable service for residents.