Balfour will take over on 1 April 2023 when the council’s current agreement with Ringway Jacobs comes to an end.

The new contractor will work closely with the council and alongside newly appointed design contractors, who will be announced later this year, to deliver the ongoing programme of maintenance, investment and improvement to the county’s 5,000km of roads, carriageways, footpaths and cycle routes.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “We are pleased to announce that, after a rigorous selection process, Balfour Beatty Living Places has been awarded this maintenance contract.

“We are determined that this partnership will provide a new model of highways services that achieves our aspirations for a faster and more responsive service for the needs of residents and road users in Buckinghamshire.

“Balfour Beatty Living Places has an excellent track record of managing contracts of this nature and we are keen to embrace their expertise and experience, whilst realising their delivery of innovation and quality onto our network.”

Ringway Jacobs has been working on the county’s highways for the last 13 years under the Transport for Buckinghamshire contract.

The council said Ringway Jacobs “will play a key role in ensuring the effective transfer of services to the new arrangements.”

Steve Helliwell, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty Living Places, said: “Today’s announcement builds on our longstanding expertise and commitment to providing best-in-class highways maintenance services, whilst offering customer-focused solutions in a collaborative partnership.

“Wherever we operate, we go above and beyond for our customers with an unrelenting focus on leaving a lasting positive legacy for the communities we serve; working with local supply chain partners whilst also creating numerous apprenticeship and graduate opportunities.”

In addition to maintaining Buckinghamshire’s highways network, Balfour Beatty will be responsible for the upkeep of street lighting, traffic signals, gullies and drainage, and winter maintenance services including gritting.

The new contract will run for an initial eight year period with the option to extend for a further four years.