Medway Council has launched a tender for a new highways infrastructure contract estimated at £110m excluding VAT, or £132m including VAT.
The contract is due to run for seven years from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2034. The council has included an option to extend it by a further three years, potentially taking the term to 31 July 2037.
Extensive highway network
The north Kent authority manages a highway network with an estimated gross replacement value of about £2bn. It includes 845km of adopted highway, around 1,100km of adopted footway, street lighting, bridges, retaining walls, the Medway Tunnel and approximately 91,000 other highway assets, including street furniture.
Medway Council described the network as a “significant and technically demanding network to operate and manage”, citing its scale, complexity and critical assets.
The procurement covers works and services including construction and civil engineering, road and equipment repair and maintenance, architectural, engineering and inspection services, research and development and related consultancy, and cleaning and sanitation.
Existing contract
Volker Highways currently provides Medway’s term maintenance services under a contract that began in August 2017 and is scheduled to end on 31 July 2027.
The deadline for enquiries about the new procurement is 5pm on 12 October 2026. Requests to participate must be submitted by 5pm on 23 October, with the council expecting to decide on the award by 31 March 2027.