£21m savings for taxpayer in Staffordshire road deal

Staffordshire County Council has named Oxford-based Amey as its top choice to deliver major projects and maintain more than 3,000 miles of roads.

The current highways contract with Enterprise runs out in April this year.

Mark Winnington, cabinet member for economy, said: "This deal is a once in a generation opportunity to improve the quality, speed and breadth of our highways programme – at a reduced cost of £21.5m to taxpayers in the next five years.

"Rather than a take a traditional procurement approach, we asked the leading players in the industry what they could bring to the table which would deliver better value, better quality and better customer service.

"Amey was consistently strong across the board and offered an impressive commitment to deliver these significant cost reductions through their own efficiencies, hand in hand with smarter ways of working to keep people better informed on everything from potholes to major projects."

Amey will also help in the running of the county's street lighting, rights of way work and country park maintenance.

Councillor Winnington added: "By keeping a 60 per cent voting control in the partnership, we will also be able to ensure communities are listened to every step of the way.

"I am confident that this partnership will not only protect the improvements we have already made to our highways but will support the county council's ambitions to bring more jobs, growth and investment to Staffordshire." If approved by cabinet on Wednesday, Amey's contract will run from April for 10 years.