Somerset Council has awarded three new contracts to deliver essential road maintenance services as well as improvements on its network across the county.

The Council has awarded four-year contracts with Kiely Bros Ltd and Heidelberg Materials to deliver surface treatment services and resurfacing services respectively, while a third four-year contract has been awarded to Octavius Infrastructure Ltd to deliver new infrastructure assets, including traffic calming and active travel measures.

The contracts were approved by Somerset Council's Executive following a tendering process and will ensure the Council meets its statutory duties to maintain and improve its 4,172-mile road network to the required standards.

Somerset Council recently signed a new eight-year contract with Kier Transportation Ltd to deliver essential core maintenance across its road network. That agreement covers key maintenance works – including road repairs, drainage, verge cutting and winter service, such as gritting and other emergency functions in adverse weather.

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The current contract with Milestone Infrastructure comes to an end at the end of March 2024. Since 2021 the Council has been engaged in a tendering process involving suppliers from across the UK.

In a change to the way it delivers services, the Council divided up the existing contract into four separate contracts covering different areas of service delivery.

The aim is to increase efficiency, cost effectiveness and innovation whilst being more resilient to climate change with a reduced carbon output.

Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Digital said: "We're really pleased to announce these latest contracts, it signals a new era for our highways contracts, which are focused on ensuring maximum value and sustainability for these essential services.

"We are committed to building in resilience to climate change, ensuring a safe, serviceable and sustainable network that is fit for purpose for all users and supports the growth of the local economy.

"Now more than ever it's vital that we have a financially resilient service that is cost effective, as well as being flexible and agile, attracting the best people and embracing new technologies to enable innovation."

Kiely Bros will deliver a wide range of surface treatment services, including road surface dressing, footway crack sealing, ironwork strengthening and support, preparatory drainage, patching and cleaning, as well as post surfacing road markings, studs and high friction surfacing.

Heidelberg Materials will deliver carriageway resurfacing, reconstruction, preparatory drainage works, as well as post surfacing road markings, studs and high friction surfacing.

Octavius Infrastructure will deliver all manner of highway improvement schemes and other work including safety schemes and traffic calming measures, and infrastructure associated with active travel, electric vehicles, public transport and mobility hubs.