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Publish Date : 07-Jul-2015

After Ł600M was set aside for major road schemes in the North East, Highways England has been asked to fast-track its procurement process. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced funding to complete 2 major schemes, the start of 4 big projects and further development works.

However, Douglas Kell, regional director of trade body the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, said all the cash was set aside for schemes already out to tender or projects some way from procurement stage. Kell said, "There is nothing new here to bid for. There is nothing new to tell my members about in this package. Let's get away from feasibility and start doing. I would like to see a quicker timetable for procurement."

Kell added that the A1 Western Bypass upgrade, from Coal House to the Metro Centre at Gateshead, was ongoing for some time, the A19 Coast Road project was long known about and some of the other schemes were not slated to start for a few years.

A Highways England spokesman said, "Highways England has been set up specifically by the government to deliver Ł11bn of improvements to England’s motorways and major A roads over the next five years, including Ł600M in the North East, making roads even safer, reducing congestion and underpinning economic growth in regions across the country. In the North East, work has already begun on some on these projects and the remaining investment is being procured or will be once scheme plans are finalised. We will engage with our supply chain before going to market to procure for this work."

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