More roads will be fixed and customer service will be improved, as the county council pushes forward with its new vision for Staffordshire’s roads, and the proposed future partnership between the county council and Amey will make this a reality.
The partnership will work together to find new ways to improve the quality of highways, and will continue to engage with people and communities across the county to listen to their views. This will help to make sure residents and businesses are getting the best value, quality and customer service.
Staffordshire’s huge local highway network is valued at over £7 billion. In 2014, the county council entered a long-term strategic partnership with Amey for the delivery of infrastructure services.
This includes road repairs, cycle routes, bridges, tunnels, lighting, drainage, traffic signals, trees and land as well as filling potholes.
David Williams, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport said: “Our ground-breaking partnership with Amey is ten years old at the end of September 2024, and this is a timely opportunity to review how we work in future, and how everything we do supports our vision and ambition for the highway service.
“We are aware of public perceptions around highways, which is why believe through this new arrangement we can make positive changes whilst maintaining flexibility if we feel the performance isn’t where it should be. We are confident we have the right partner in Amey, and extending our partnership for an initial 5-year period will ensure that the service continues to have valuable resilience, and that we have the flexibility to look at services to ensure they continually meet our goals.
“It is essential that we transform our highways deliver offer to ensure that the improvements we make are continuous, and that we are offering the best possible customer service, quality and value for money for our residents and businesses.”
Already, the county council has invested an extra £15.5 million into road maintenance over the next year, on top of its £50 million total investment in Staffordshire’s highways.
Richard Harris, Account Director for Amey in Staffordshire, added: “Over the past eight years, Amey and the Council have worked together to continually develop and improve the highways service for the people and communities of Staffordshire. A high-quality highways service is critical to improving lives - enabling people to work and enjoy life - and has a significant impact on environmental and economic prosperity. We are delighted to have the opportunity to continue building our partnership until 2029, investing in innovative solutions which will transform journeys through consistent service delivery, improved customer service and carbon reduction to support the Council to achieve their ambitious vision for the future."
Performance will be reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure targets for customer service are met, and to ensure everything meets the renewed vision for the service. The county council will also have the option to change how some services are delivered if needed.