Atkins bags five-year highways contract in Wiltshire

Atkins, a member of SNC-Lavalin Group, has been awarded a five-year highways consultancy framework contract to support Wiltshire Council’s long-term transport strategy. 

Atkins will deliver design and supervision services and management of highways major maintenance, major schemes and capital projects, traffic engineering, street lighting and traffic signals. Atkins will also provide technical information and advice on a wide range of highway and transport matters, covering over 3,000 miles of road and approximately 1,000 bridges and structures. 

As part of the contract, Atkins will pilot a digital intelligent brokerage, a Department for Transport (DfT) initiative focussing on the deployment of innovative technology solutions to improve the management of potholes and other defects. Atkins will also utilise its Digital Asset Management expertise to prepare, schedule and deliver local area asset management plans across the authority.

Jason Pavey, market director for local transportation at Atkins, said: “Through the investment funding from DfT, Wiltshire will be at the forefront of digital adoption and the digital intelligent brokerage initiative, which could help transform the way local authorities maintain transport networks up and down the country. We look to support Wiltshire Council as they develop a transport system that helps support economic growth across the community, giving choice and opportunity for people to safely access essential services.”

Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for highways, said: “We are pleased to be working with Atkins on our long-term transport strategy, which will see us implement new technologies to improve the management of our highways network. We look forward to working with our partners to provide the best possible highways for the people of Wiltshire.”

The contract will involve collaboration from across Atkins, including environmental consultancy services relating to ecological, habitat and other environmental matters; and planning design services from Atkins’ global design centre in Delhi and Bangalore. Faithful+Gould will also provide cost controls and project management on Wiltshire’s capital improvement programme. 

The contract builds on innovative solutions, bringing greater digital transformation through the delivery of high-quality work, to improve passenger journey times and better maintained roads and assets. It is the fourth generation of contract, with Atkins being appointed to the third generation of contract in 2012. During the previous contract, over 300 employees were engaged in the provision of services across the authority in a typical year.