By Nick Gilbert
Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald has received a new asset support contracts (ASC) from the Highways Agency in order to enhance and maintain the motorways and main ‘A’ roads in the North West.
The project will become operational from November 2012 and will also include the roads of the Agency in South Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. A separate contract covers Cumbria and the remaining area of Lancashire.
As per the contract, major ‘A’ roads and motorways in the area will be maintained in high standards and at the same time will help reduce costs. Managing Agent Contractor (MAC) contracts, which are present arrangements, will be replaced by the new Asset Support Contracts (ASCs). ASCs will become the base for providing enhanced services and maintenance for majority of trunk road network and motorway in England.
This new contract include vital features such as:
- Handling technology maintenance and development activities using the primary contract, for more efficient supply
- High-cost threshold for works in order to enable more procurement via the ASC
- Maintenance standards that are based on outcome and less rigid about the delivery of work
- Affordable service levels with precise quality and no compensation for extra delivery
- Incentives for efficiency and innovation that include the opportunity for extending the contract
Source: http://highwaysagency.presscentre.com/