Jackson Civil Engineering is among the successful bidders under a new framework contract for major road schemes across the East of England.

The new Eastern Highways Alliance Framework, the second of its kind, covers 11 local highways ausdfathorities in the region and is expected to save local tax payers millions of pounds over the next four years by creating a bank of contractors with the skills and expertise to manage projects up to £20million in value.

The framework, which could be worth up to £750m over the four years, will reduce the time and cost it takes for projects such as roundabouts, cycle paths, new roads and other infrastructure to be built.

Besides Ipswich-based Jackson Civil Engineering, the other successful bidders include Carillion Construction, Eurovia Infrastructure, Interserve Construction, Kier Infrastructure and Morgan Sindall.

Successful bidders for smaller projects of up to £1.5m include Danaher & Walsh (Civil Engineering), Fox Building & Engineering, Henderson & Taylor FM, John Henry & Sons Civil Engineers, Murrill Construction, Toppesfield and W&H Road.

Roger Hickford, chairman of the highways and community infrastructure committee of Cambridgeshire County Council, which led the process on behalf of the 11 highways authorities, including Suffolk and Essex county councils, said: “The creation of the Eastern Highways Framework 2 has been a huge task led by ourselves in Cambridgeshire which will provide benefits to the way local authorities in the East of England deliver highway works.

“The first framework, which was set up in 2012, used four contractors to deliver schemes up to the value of £10m. This framework made some significant savings for all the councils involved so the new framework, which is split between work up to £1.5m and contracts valued from £1m to £20m, will save considerable funds and time for us all.

“It is innovative thinking and partnership working like this which demonstrates how local authorities are collaborating together in adapting to the

challenges we face.”

Jackson Civil Engineering’s technical director, Jim Chaplin, said: “This type of collaboration across councils brings great efficiencies and benefits, and it’s the way we like to go to work.

“We’re delighted to have been selected for this framework, and look forward to working with some of our more local clients and the other selected contractors.”

Jackson Civil Engineering, which has seven offices across the country, employs 270 staff and has annaul turnover of around £70m per year.

It is the largest part of Suffolk-based One Group Construction, which comprises 12 companies offering a variety of services to the construction industry, including SEHBAC, SEH French, Emmitt Plant, SEH Ipswich, SEH Asphalt and SEH Commercial.