Over the next four years Highways England will work with engineering consultants Aecom and Atkins to provide design, supervision and project management services on a nationwide programme to repair or replace the concrete surface on motorways and major A roads.

The project is part of a £400m programme to improve the quality of 600 miles of existing concrete roads, with this Design Framework contact worth £39m.

Most of England’s concrete roads were built in the 1960s and 70s – meaning many are now beyond their original design life and are carrying up to 25% more traffic than originally intended.

Depending on the condition of the roads, some will be repaired to extend their life and others will be fully replaced.

Highways England will award a further two contacts this year under the concrete roads programme.

The first will cover Lifecycle Extension Works worth £67m. A total of eight specialist contractors will also be selected to deliver targeted repairs to extend the life of the existing concrete pavement.

Two suppliers will be selected to deliver each of the four identified specialist activities: joint repairs, bay replacements, surface treatments and slab levelling.

Then for full reconstruction works, two contractors will be appointed on a design and build basis to demolish existing pavement and replace it with new flexible or composite materials.

This will be worth around £218m over four years.