New roads contractor for Herefordshire named

The contractor which will take over roadworks in Herefordshire from summer has been named.

Herefordshire Council has confirmed that M Group will become the county’s main public realm contractor from June, when its current contract with Balfour Beatty ends.

As well as the county’s 2,000-plus miles of locally managed roads, the new contractor will maintain green areas and public spaces, as well as street cleaning, lighting, road drainage and winter gritting.

But the council intends to put itself back in overall day-to-day control of these areas, paying the contractor a pre-agreed rate for each item of work.

It says new contract will also create opportunities for town and parish councils to commission additional services, while M Group will also be expected to make “social value commitments” to local employment and supply chains.

The Hertfordshire-based infrastructure group has over 11,000 employees. It was recently also appointed by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to carry out what it called essential capital projects including mains replacement across Wales and Herefordshire.

Herefordshire Council’s chief executive Paul Walker said: “The new contract brings new opportunity and energy to Herefordshire’s public realm, and a new relationship with the communities and business affected.”

A transition between the two contractors is now under way.