Birmingham extends Kier highways deal until 2028

Birmingham City Council has extended ‘temporary’ maintenance contracts for a further two years, while it considers its long-term options.

Infrastructure contractor Kier has looked after more than 1,500 miles of road, 3,000 miles of footways, and 846 structures on behalf of the city council for the past six years, an agreement which also includes three tunnels, 94,000 street lighting columns, and 76,000 highway trees.

The extended deal will run until August 2028, with an option to extend for a further nine months to April 2029.

The authority says the arrangement will buy time while it secures a long-term solution to its road and infrastructure headache, after the government called time on an ill-fated council PFI contract earlier this year

Awarded in 2010, the original £2.7bn deal with Amey was intended to run until 2035, but the city council exited the arrangement in 2019 after the relationship between the authority and the Oxfordshire firm had descended into acrimony.

Kier were brought in to provide road maintenance services on an interim basis in April, 2020.

Cllr Rob Grant, cabinet member for transport at Birmingham City Council, said the city’s road network was a “top priority for residents and businesses” across the city.

“We have a huge network of highways used by buses, cyclists, wheelers and pedestrians and people want to see that we are investing in them and looking after them,” he said.

“We take this responsibility seriously and continue to prioritise the safety and reliability of our highways network. I’d like thank Kier for their ongoing support, expertise and commitment in ensuring continuity of service delivery.”

According to the city council, the extension of the existing arrangements will bring certainty for Birmingham’s highways maintenance for the coming two years, whilst a long-term contract is secured and put into place.

Ian Davies, general manager at Kier, added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to build on the progress we’ve made managing the city’s vast infrastructure and asset network while working to enhance local communities and service-user experience. We look forward to continuing to deliver safe, reliable and efficient highways services while supporting Birmingham City Council.

“This extension highlights the dedication of our teams and supply chain partners who deliver essential services for the city every day, and our focus will remain on delivering lasting value for the communities we serve.”