Highways England has gone live with its new asset-led delivery model in the East Midlands today (1 July) – bringing key asset management capability in-house for the first time in a brand new way of working.
The new approach to maintenance and delivery is now in action in the East Midlands (Area 7) following the end of the existing managing agent contract in the area, held by A-one+, on 30 June.
It will see Highways England taking more ownership of investment decisions, increasing its intelligence on local factors that influence where work is needed and taking on board many roles not previously undertaken.
These include network occupancy, scheme identification and decision-making around incidents such as severe weather.
Mike Wilson, Highways England operations director, said:
This is a massive achievement for Highway England. This new delivery model is symbolic of our commitment to continually driving improvement in how our roads are maintained, improved and operated, so that we can provide the best possible quality of service to our customers.
We are looking forward to working collaboratively with our new colleagues from the supply chain over the coming months and years, and believe that this approach will benefit all parties, from the supply chain through to drivers on our roads.
The asset-led approach to maintenance and delivery will enable Highways England to:
take direct ownership of the aspects of delivery which are core to performance, which will most directly affect customers and reputation take ownership of investment decisions and increase direct knowledge of the asset and the factors which generate waste and inefficiency increase its intelligence on local factors that influence where work is needed create new, collaborative and direct relationships with the supply chain community to identify innovations in planning, scheduling and the methods employed to improve the quality and value for money of these servicesAs always, the key priority will remain the safety of everyone who works and travels on the Strategic Road Network.
Staff at the new Highways England East Midlands office in MansfieldArea 7 comprises 215 carriageway miles of motorway, including stretches of the M1, M69 and M6, and 681 carriageway miles of trunk roads, including stretches of the A1, A14, A42, A5 and A46.
The asset-led delivery model will be rolled out in the South West (Areas 1 and 2) and either side of the Pennines (Areas 13 and 14) later this year. In Areas 13 and 14, tenders will be invited in May and June this year, with contracts set to go live from 1 April 2017. Tenders for the South West will be invited from mid-August, with contracts set to go live in July 2017.
General enquiriesMembers of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiriesJournalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.
seen at 16:30, 1 July in Announcements on GOV.UK.Email this to a friend.