National Highways has announced 12 fiirms have been appointed for the £1.3 billion Pavement Delivery Framework.

The new agreements, signed by National Highways, will promote the use of low-carbon materials and ensure a greater share of work is delivered by small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The contracts cover the supply of materials, plant and labour to carry out National Highways' road surfacing and construction works for National Highways' Operations Division.

The new award, the third iteration of National Highways' pavement framework, is split between nine lots, with a total of 12 suppliers appointed across the framework.

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Four of the suppliers are SMEs, which represents an increase on the previous framework, promoting growth in the sector and helping to drive regional investment.

The contracts awarded to SMEs in the new framework account for over 8% of the total anticipated spend, which amounts to over £100m.

The new framework also sees an increased focus on carbon reduction, with bidding organisations committed to annual carbon reduction activities within the timeframe of the contract.

Additionally, National Highways designated warm mix asphalt as the contract’s default material of choice which delivers up to 15% carbon savings per tonne in comparison to the previous default pavement material. It is also more durable and quicker to lay, meaning roads can be reopened to traffic faster.

The new framework will support National Highways into the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS 3). The current strategy, RIS 2, ends in 2025.

The 12 suppliers are:

• Aggregate Industries UK Limited

• Associated Asphalt Contracting Limited

• Breedon Colas Limited

• DSD Construction Ltd

• Eurovia Infrastructure Limited

• FM Conway Ltd

• Galliford Try Construction Limited

• Hailsham Roadways Construction Co Limited

• Hanson Contracting

• Multipave NW Ltd

• Tarmac Trading Limited

• Tripod Crest Limited.