One of the companies in the bidding for Birmingham City Council's £2.2 billion highways maintenance contract has been selected to manage highways and transport for Buckinghamshire County Council.

Ringway, in a joint venture with Jacobs UK, has begun a £30 million a year eight-year contract for highway design, construction and maintenance, including street lighting and highways structures. Ringway is part of Birmingham Street Services which is bidding for the 25 year Birmingham Highways PFI contract.

Ringway Jacobs was selected after an 18 month procurement process. More than 120 Buckinghamshire County Council employees have transferred to Ringway Jacobs, joining 300 other staff working on the contact from council headquarters in Aylesbury and four area offices.

Ringway Jacobs service leader Mike Rowe said the contract was an innovative alliance with the county council to deliver transport services.

"We have day-to-day control and responsibility for service delivery, while strategic management is provided by a board composed of council officers, cabinet members and our senior managers," he said.

Ringway is one of the companies which make up Birmingham Street Services, the organisation bidding for the £2.2 billion Birmingham City Council Highways PFI contract.

Birmingham Street Services is one of two bidders in contention for the 25 year PFI contract to maintain all the roads and street lighting in Birmingham. 

Joining Ringway is Vinci - Ringway's parent company, which is one of Europe's biggest players in the provision of privately financed highways projects, and WSP, one of Europe's leaders in highway management services.