The Eastern Highways Framework 3 has awarded nine contractors with work on its new framework for delivering highway maintenance and improvement schemes that could be worth up to £400m over four years.

The successful contractors awarded onto the framework are; BAM Nuttall, Dyer & Butler Ltd, John Sisk & Son, Eurovia UK Ltd, Galliford Try Infrastructure Ltd, Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, Interserve Construction Ltd, Jackson Civil Engineering Group Ltd and Marlborough Highways.

Ten local authorities in the east of England launched the framework for delivering highway maintenance and improvement schemes that could be worth up to £400m over four years.

The new line-up has broadened to nine partners from five firms previously. Morgan Sindall and Kier are the only firms not to be renewed, while Eurovia, Interserve and Jackson were re-signed.

The councils say the framework will aim to reduce the time and cost of projects and provide an efficient and effective way to procure investment in highways.

The exercise was led by Essex County Council on behalf of the Eastern Highways Alliance which has been in existence for the last eight years.

Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council, said: “The creation of the Eastern Highways Framework 3 has been a huge task, led by Essex County Council, in collaboration with the authorities of the Eastern Highways Alliance.

“It is innovative thinking and partnership working like this which demonstrates how local authorities are collaborating together in adapting to the challenges we face.”