Radical plans to adopt a full alliance model for all smart motorway work are now underway with bids being invited to find three tier one contractors, two designers and a new production manager specialist to create a production hub.

This promises a major shake-up in the motorway industry where around eight contractors are presently engaged.

The entire 10-year spend is expected to be around £7bn with the new ‘on-site assembly partners’ sharing out £5.95bn across three new operating regions in the north, midlands and south.

The arrangement will also include two design partners allocated to the north or south and a single production management partner, accountable for the programme-wide management activities within the production hub.

Shaun Pidcock, Smart motorways programme director, told the Enquirer: “We want a production line approach, using a planned programme with a level spending profile for greater continuity of work that gets the best from the supply chain and can drive greater standardisation of design and use of offsite construction. ”

“We aim to optimise learning and get everybody focused on delivering the best solutions on site,” he added.

The production hub will operate under an alliance board made up of Highways England and its design and tier one stakeholders.

Highways England expects to make big savings, drive down man-hours on site, drive innovation and make greater use of standardised design using the new alliance approach.

Further documents will soon be available on the website, with submissions due back on 18 January. Firms wishing to attend the selection stage briefing event in Birmingham must complete the electronic form by 6 December.