Road users are set to benefit from improved roads and better service on England’s motorways and major A roads following the Highways Agency’s announcement of the winners of its new supplier recognition scheme, acknowledging efforts by suppliers who demonstrate leading performance and delivering better customer services.

This is the first year of the new scheme, which highlights the important contribution made by the Agency’s suppliers in supporting the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the strategic road network in England efficiently and effectively.

The winners in each category were:

- Managing down cost/improving value - awarded to suppliers that have demonstrated significant achievement in mobilising all their talents and resources to deliver smarter and more efficient ways of working in delivering HA contracts. Awarded to: Aone+, for work done to provide cost savings across four MAC contracts covering about a third of the strategic network; and to Carillion Morgan Sindall JV, for the delivery of an upgrade to the A1 Dishforth to Leeming – a 24-mile section due for completion Spring 2012

- Supply chain management – awarded to suppliers that demonstrate embedment of the HA strategic agenda, values and principles through their supply chains. Awarded to: Costain, for the supply chain integration achieved by Costain in delivery of the M53 Bidston Moss scheme.

- Health and safety – awarded to suppliers that show industry leading commitment to improving corporate and workforce health and safety. Awarded to: Costain Carillion JV, for employee occupational health and welfare on the M1 Junction 10 to 13 contract; and to Costain for the health and safety practices put in place in delivery of the M53 Bidston Moss scheme, which achieved zero RIDDOR-reportable incidents in the last 1.1m worked hours.

- Building & sustaining capability – awarded to suppliers that have created opportunities to bring people into the workplace and develop skills and capabilities through delivery of HA contracts. Awarded to: AOne+, for ensuring its business creates opportunities to enter the workplace and develop their people’s skills and capabilities through the delivery of four MAC contracts; and to Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering for the project approach taken to develop people skills and capabilities on the A46 Newark to Widmerpool project.

- Delivering sustainable value and solutions - awarded to suppliers that have integrated environmental, social, economic and management aspects of sustainable development into delivery of HA Contracts. Awarded to: Balfour Beatty for their corporate sustainability strategy, along with specific examples of achievements in sustainable construction activity; and to Hanson UK for how their corporate strategy has been applied to deliver achievements such as developing new products, reducing energy consumption and waste, and engaging with people and communities.

Graham Dalton, chief executive of the Highways Agency, said: “Our vision is to build on our already world-class reputation, to be recognised as the world’s leading road operator; that means working in close partnership with our suppliers to meet the diverse needs of our customers – road users and the communities we serve.

“Both the number and quality of the entries we received for these awards demonstrate the importance which our suppliers place on the performance they deliver – and by recognising their industry-leading performance, and encouraging our supply family to share best practice, we are showing that we’re proud to acknowledge their dedication and innovation on our behalf.”

Suppliers including joint ventures, lower tiers, small and medium enterprises and those from across all aspects of Highways Agency business were invited to be recognised through a non-financial award in five key business areas for the Agency, which formed the five categories for the awards.