To ensure that the routes are safe and well-maintained, Amey will be responsible for all cyclical and reactive maintenance across the network, as well as delivering winter maintenance. Data will be key to providing these services, and a new asset management approach will be used to make informed decisions and ensure the people and businesses that use these roads every day experience reliable journey times and a high level of customer care.

Another vital part of the contract will see Amey manage the Trunk Road Incident Support Service (TRISS). An increase in Amey teams patrolling the network will assist road users experiencing difficulties on the network to get quickly and safely on their way.

Amey’s specialist bridge engineers will also be monitoring and maintaining major infrastructure assets such as the Erskine and Kingston bridges on the 600 kilometres of road network under the new Network Management Contract.

Peter Anderson, managing director for transport infrastructure, said: “I’m delighted today to welcome over 250 employees to Amey who have started work on our new South West Network Management Contract in Scotland. Following a unique five-month mobilisation through COVID-19, today marks day one for the contract, which will see our dedicated team of engineers spend the next eight years developing the service through the introduction of new technology, developing our people and looking at ways to work more efficiently and safely.

“We’ll also be doing more to listen to the needs of the road users to work with Transport Scotland to make decisions based on data and customer insight. I’m looking forward to continuing our relationship with Transport Scotland to support local growth, economic development and provide a more sustainable service across the South West region.”

Amey has worked continuously with Transport Scotland since 2001 looking after both the South East and South West network, as well as the Forth Road Bridge. The new Network Management Contract will see Amey manage the £400 million contract for a minimum of eight years, with the options of a four-year extension, with a total contract value of £690m.