The Tees Valley combined authority has submitted a five-year transport wish-list to the Department for Transport and is now asking construction firms how the potential work should be packaged for procurement. The programme covers April 2027 to March 2032 and spans major road schemes, railway upgrades, bus infrastructure, active travel and transport technology.
Projects in the pipeline
The £1bn list includes the Darlington Northern Link Road, upgrades to the A66 and A689 corridors, a new platform at Middlesbrough Station and the redevelopment of Thornaby Station. It also sets out ambitions for a new station at Teesside International Airport, improvements to Middlesbrough bus station and transport links serving the Teesworks development.
The programme spans both new construction and upgrades. Alongside road and rail work, it covers bus infrastructure, active travel and transport technology, giving contractors from several disciplines a potential role in delivery.
Funding remains conditional
The Government has already confirmed £978m of core transport funding for the region. However, the wider programme includes projects that still require further business case approvals and additional financial backing. The authority has acknowledged that delivering the full programme will depend on Government support and potentially further outside funding.
Steve Harker, the combined authority’s cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said that while the body is devolved, major transport schemes often need significant additional funding. He said Government backing for the plans is vital because it would allow external bodies to help fund the programme, giving the region the best chance of delivering as many projects as possible in good time.
Supplier engagement under way
Despite the funding uncertainties, the authority is proceeding with early supplier engagement to prepare its procurement strategy. It expects to let multiple contracts covering highways, rail, civil engineering and specialist infrastructure rather than a single large award, and it is seeking industry views on how that work should be grouped.
The authority is also considering a programme-wide alliance using the FAC-1 Framework Alliance Contract model to bring delivery partners together and encourage regional contractors and small and medium-sized enterprises to participate. The model is under consideration and has not been confirmed.
An initial supplier launch event was held on 9 November. Firms are now invited to provide feedback through a market engagement questionnaire, with contractors given until 1 March 2027 to respond. The authority is also inviting firms to register an interest in the programme.
The authority has not yet fixed the final packaging of the programme. Its market engagement questionnaire is intended to help shape the procurement strategy, including how work is divided among contractors and whether an alliance approach is adopted. The programme is expected to require multiple contracts rather than a single award, with scope for regional contractors and SMEs to participate.