Contract signing marks start of new highways company

A new company will provide highways and fleet management services in Nottinghamshire with the signing of contracts officially marking the start of the firm.

Via (the Latin word for road), which has been set up through a partnership between Nottinghamshire County Council and Cornwall Council, will become operational in July – under a 10-year contract, extendable for a further five years.

Members from both councils approved plans for the new company last May, which will be supported by CORSERV, a company owned by Cornwall Council.

A launch event was held last week at Nottinghamshire County Council’s highways depot in Bilsthorpe, where Anthony May (pictured left), chief executive of Nottinghamshire County Council and Kate Kennally (pictured right), chief executive of Cornwall Council, symbolically signed the side of a highways vehicle emblazoned with the new company’s logo.

Now the official signing of the contracts sets the seal on the new company which will be owned by the public sector but will also be able to trade commercially to gain work of up to 20% of its turnover.