Transport Scotland has awarded two trunk maintenance contracts after a bid to have a court suspension lifted was successful.

The contracts, worth an estimated £230m, were awarded to Bear Scotland and Scotland TranServ for the North West and South West regions respectively.

But public services provider Amey challenged Transport Scotland officials in the court after its bid was rejected for being too low.

The court-imposed suspension has now been lifted and the two contracts awarded.

Scotland TranServ confirmed it signed a contract worth over £125m to deliver improvements in the South West region, previously held by Amey.

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The new five-year contract will commence on 1 April 2013, with extension options of up to five further years available.

It will cover an area stretching from Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway to Alexandria in Strathclyde and includes 681km of roads and 1,912 structures.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "These contracts, worth a combined £230m, will directly support around 500 operational and professional jobs in Scotland. They will also contribute significantly to the economy through the wider supply chain, with local firms benefiting on a regular basis.

"The lifting of the suspension has allowed us to award these contracts which means the mobilisation period can commence immediately and enables us to move towards a formal Commencement of Service date of 1 April 2013.

"We are confident these bids will continue to deliver both a high quality and value for money trunk road maintenance service. Procurement for the East contracts got underway last Friday 23 November and we look forward to receiving keen interest from the market."

(IT)