The rankings are critical to contractors and consultants because they influence selection of bidders on the motorways and trunk roads programme.

Strategic Alignment Review Toolkits were first introduce in 2011 and superseded the old CAT system of rating the industry highway supply chain.

Since then EM Highways has knocked Costain out of top position in the rankings, with Carillion and Skanska also creeping up the league to second and third place respectively.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: “It is important to remember the StART scores are a measure of how strategically aligned our supply chain is to our aims and goals.

“Suppliers that do not score highly can and do still win work.”

The new StART is also being used to highlight firms’ strength and weaknesses.

Firms were audited on leadership, supply chain management, cost as well as new areas such as commitment to inclusion and sustainability.

StART scoring is out of a theoretical maximum of 180.

Back in 2011 four firms achieved 75% of top marks, the most recent scoring appears tougher with just EM Highways beating the benchmark.

EM’s Managing Director, Dave Wright, said: “We are delighted to have achieved a score of 140 in the StART assessment and to be ranked in first place amongst our peers.

“This result shows the hard work EM and our supply chain have put in to understanding and aligning our business to the Agency’s future strategy and direction.”