This week, circa 60 new employees have joined Amey’s Transport Infrastructure business, as part of a 15-year contract awarded by Highways England to maintain the Specialist Bridge Inspection and Maintenance contract (SBIM) for Avonmouth and Severn Bridges.

The contract worth £16 million per annum, will see Amey maintain the three major structures each with unique characteristics and structural complexities; the M5 Avonmouth Bridge spanning 1,400m, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge which comprises of three structures, the Avon Viaduct (2,100m), Cable Stay (948m) and Gwent Viaduct (2,077m) as well as the M48 Severn Bridge, a suspension bridge, that covers 1,600m of network and has the second highest tidal range in the world at 14.5 metres.

The Amey team will be responsible for the cyclic maintenance, daily structure inspection checks and safety patrols as well as responding to any incidents that impact the structural integrity of the bridges.

James Haluch, Amey’s Managing Director for Highways and Waste Collections said: “I’m excited to be working with 56 new employees who join us today to manage the Specialist Bridge Inspection and Maintenance contract (SBIM) for Avonmouth and Severn Bridges on behalf of Highways England.

“The new team and those transferring bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that will complement our innovative operational solutions and capabilities regarding bridge infrastructure, which has been recognised by Highways England, through our work on the Forth Road Bridge amongst other long span structures across the UK.

“Having navigated the challenges of mobilising a contract during Covid restrictions, I’m delighted that the team are now with us so we can start successfully delivering operations, safely and to a high standard, for both our client and those using the network. I look forward to building a strong relationship with the team and continuing to build our partnership with Highways England through our service delivery.  We are as ever committed to sustainability, social value and investing in our people to ensure they have the skills, training and tools to deliver the service safely.”

Highways England Operations Director Nick Harris said: “Our roads and bridges are among the safest in the world and partnerships like this will help maintain high standards on the three large bridges in the south-west.

“By working more closely with our supply chain who carry out maintenance, we will be able to work more effectively, identify innovative ways of working and provide the best possible quality of service to road users.

“We’re delighted to welcome Amey to our south-west community and look forward to building a successful, long-term relationship with them, driving improvement and strengthening our regional expertise together.”

From today, Amey will also become a member of the South West Asset Delivery Community, ensuring the contract provides the best possible value for money and service to its customers through the collaborative network with suppliers and other service delivery partners operating on this contract.

This contract builds on various Highways England contracts with Amey which includes Amey Consulting’s design projects and a five-year FM contract to provide facilities and asset management across Highways England extensive and growing operational estate.