Local highways maintenance challenge fund

Darlington has submitted a bid to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund.

The project is the A68 Growth Zone Maintenance programme and aims at addressing the condition of this key transport corridor. There are two sections : urban and rural.

The 2.6km urban section from the town centre to the A1(M) junction 58 – some sections require full reconstruction and maintenance to address issues with skid resistance. The off road cycle route alongside the A68 also requires resurfacing. Gullies and drainage assets also need maintaining to manage surface water flooding and improve resilience.

The 5.8km rural section covers the route from A6072 Swanhouse Roundabout junction to the borough boundary – some sections require full/partial reconstruction and maintenance to address issues with skid resistance. Recycling techniques and the suitability of innovative materials will be considered to reduce the environmental impact of the scheme. 

The total cost estimate for the scheme is £3,013,000 and Darlington has committed 25% of the required budget from its Local Transport Plan funding (subject to Cabinet approval). The bid requests £2,260,000 from the DfT’s Maintenance Challenge Fund. 

The Tees Valley Combined Authority will first rank all of the bids from across the Tees Valley and will submit a ranking Form to the DfT.

The results of the bidding process will be announced by DfT by the end of December 2019. If successful work will start in February 2020.

View a copy of the Darlington BC highway maintenance challenge bid [8mb, pdf document].