York has established a £15.36m minor civils framework aimed at simplifying how capital maintenance and construction work is commissioned across the city over the next two years.
Not all highway projects require major contracts. Many essential tasks sit between routine maintenance and headline capital schemes. This framework covers that middle ground.
Five contractors, two-year term
The framework runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2028. It appoints five contractors: Bethell Construction, Jackson Civil Engineering, P&T Contracts, PBS Construction (North East) and Transcore. Further extensions are possible.
The £15.36m value marks total potential spend across multiple individual projects, rather than a single scheme. This offers flexibility to deliver smaller capital jobs without repeated procurement exercises.
Established route to market
Frameworks reduce delays between identifying a need and appointing a contractor. When York identifies a suitable project, the council can commission work directly through the framework, bypassing new procurement.
That does not remove the need for project design, approvals, traffic management planning and coordination. It only streamlines how the work is put out to tender and contracted.
Focus beyond headline schemes
Major infrastructure upgrades attract attention, but minor civils and capital maintenance work keeps networks operational daily. These projects often appear individually and may affect the network noticeably only during construction.
York’s framework includes measures on client satisfaction, cost and time predictability. It also monitors health and safety, traffic management and workmanship. These targets ensure contractors meet standards when delivering each project.
Responding to local authority pressures
Councils face budget constraints alongside the need to maintain ageing roads and infrastructure. Having an established procurement route removes one hurdle between project identification and delivery.
York’s framework reflects a similar approach taken by other local authorities, such as Leicestershire, to maintain highway assets efficiently.
Impact on road users
For motorists and residents, the framework’s existence is subtle. They will primarily notice the individual works commissioned through it, such as temporary traffic control or asset repairs.
For the highways sector, the framework is a clear example of the procurement systems enabling everyday maintenance and capital work behind the scenes.
The framework is active, with five contractors ready to deliver projects across York city. It may not have headline-grabbing visibility, but it addresses the significant volume of smaller projects needed to keep the network functioning.
