The North East combined authority has submitted a five-year transport wish-list to the Department for Transport and is seeking construction industry feedback on how the potential work should be packaged for procurement.
The programme would run 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 £1bn wish-list includes projects that still require further business case approvals and additional financial backing.
Road, rail and station schemes
Major projects on the list include 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 considering a new station at Teesside International Airport, improvements to Middlesbrough bus station and transport links serving the Teesworks development. The list mixes new construction with upgrades to existing infrastructure.
The authority has acknowledged that delivering the full programme will depend on government support and potentially further outside funding. Steve Harker, the combined authority’s cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said major transport schemes often require significant additional funding even for a devolved body. He said government backing was 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.
Procurement split into several contracts
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 large deal. A market engagement questionnaire is intended to help the authority settle how the potential work should be packaged before formal procurement begins.
It is also considering a programme-wide alliance under the FAC-1 Framework Alliance Contract model. Such an arrangement would bring together delivery partners and is intended to encourage regional contractors and small and medium-sized enterprises to take part.
An initial supplier launch event was held on 9 November. Firms are now invited to provide feedback through a market engagement questionnaire, with responses due by 1 March 2027.
The engagement exercise marks an early step in turning the wish-list into a deliverable pipeline. The final shape of the programme, however, will depend on which schemes secure the necessary approvals and funding, and on how the authority decides to structure its contracts after the market feedback.