The contract is for an initial seven years but could be extended to 12. It is one of a series being let by the council to replace its long-term highways partnership contracts with Amey Lafarge JV and Mouchel, which expire at the end of September.
Ringway was selected ahead of Amey LG and May Gurney, who were also shortlisted.
The contract covers the delivery of routine, planned, cyclical and reactive maintenance and improvement work. It also includes performance management mechanisms under which Ringway may be awarded other work – including road, pavement and drainage programmes and transport and safety schemes – depending on their performance.
The council is also developing a framework of contractors that can bid against Ringway for maintenance and improvement works, so the amount of work that Ringway gets will depend on its performance.
“This ongoing competitive pressure will help make sure that we get a good deal throughout the life of the contract and continue to provide a high quality local service,” said Stuart Pile, cabinet member for highways and transport.
Mr Pile added: “The end of the existing contracts has given us an opportunity to rethink how we structure the highways service and we’re making some significant changes. The Hertfordshire Highways contracts were recognised as innovative when they were set up 10 years ago. However, the industry has moved on and, if we’re going to provide the best service possible for our residents, so must we.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank our current partners - Amey, Lafarge and Mouchel - for all their work over the last 10 years. With our 3,000 miles of roads and pavements, 1,700 bridges, 100,000 street lights, 154,000 drains and 118,000 signs, highways work in Hertfordshire is no easy task. I really appreciate their commitment to delivering our service. We have a major programme of maintenance work to deliver in the coming months and I look forward to continuing to work with our partners during this time to deliver these schemes."
Hertfordshire County Council is also procuring a client support contract to provide professional support, specialist contracts for structures and transport planning, and a framework for structural maintenance. The council is also lead authority for the Eastern Highways Alliance framework for improvement schemes.
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