The Tees Valley combined authority has submitted a five-year, £1bn transport wish-list to the Department for Transport and is asking construction firms how the potential work should be packaged for procurement.
The programme runs from April 2027 to March 2032 and covers major road schemes, railway upgrades, bus infrastructure, active travel and transport technology. The government has already confirmed £978m of core transport funding for the region, but the wider programme includes projects that still require further business case approvals and additional financial backing. The authority has acknowledged that the document is a wish-list and that delivering the full programme will depend on government support and potentially further outside funding.
Projects in the programme
The 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. The authority is also pursuing a new station at Teesside International Airport, improvements to Middlesbrough bus station and transport links serving the Teesworks development.
Steve Harker, the combined authority’s cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said that while the body is devolved, major transport schemes often require significant additional funding. He said government backing is vital because it would allow external bodies to help fund the programme and give the region the best chance of delivering as many projects as possible in good time.
Supplier engagement
Despite the funding uncertainties, the authority is pressing ahead 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 award one giant deal.
It 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 preference for multiple contracts suggests the work could be divided into packages by discipline or scheme, although the final procurement structure has not been set out.
An initial supplier launch event was held on 9 November. Firms are now invited to provide feedback through a market engagement questionnaire, and contractors have until 1 March 2027 to respond. The authority is using the exercise to test market appetite and shape its approach before finalising its overall procurement plans, with the final packaging and sequencing of the work still to be determined through the engagement.