This new collaboration includes major projects and professional design services in association with Project Centre; highway maintenance works to carriageways, footways and street lighting; together with winter maintenance and gully cleansing as well as 24/7 cover for emergency repairs.

VolkerHighways has previously worked with Luton Borough Council delivering both the highways maintenance contract for many years as well as several standalone schemes, including surfacing works on the Luton to Dunstable guided busway and high quality pedestrianisation works in Luton town centre. VolkerHighways has also supported fellow VolkerWessels UK business unit VolkerFitzpatrick in the surfacing of the M1 Junction 10A major contract and a new link road in the town centre.

The new contract supports the council’s wider corporate objectives, including an asset management based approach to infrastructure delivery, and is available for use by neighbouring authorities. The contract will deliver annual efficiency savings and significant value in terms of employment, training and skills for Luton.

Councillor Paul Castleman, portfolio holder for highways at Luton Borough Council, said, “This is a unique milestone for the council, with a 10-year collaboration with VolkerHighways and the Project Centre, to help us improve the quality of our infrastructure and to support the delivery of Luton’s £1.5 billion investment framework.”

Alistair Thompson, managing director of VolkerHighways, said, “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract and to be continuing our relationship with Luton Borough Council for the next 10 years. As well as providing a continuity of highway maintenance service to the residents and road users of Luton, this contract will allow us to strengthen our existing relationships across the borough’s various communities. VolkerHighways looks forward to working collaboratively with Luton Borough Council in this exciting new agreement which brings together all the highways infrastructure disciplines, from design to routine and reactive maintenance as well as lighting and winter gritting.”