National Highways Vehicle Recovery Contract (4th Generation)

This contract opportunity (term TBC) is for a sole supplier (or entity) to contract directly with National Highways to manage the safe removal of accident damaged, broken down and abandoned vehicles from England’s motorways and all-purpose-trunk-roads (The Strategic Road Network or SRN) on a 24-hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year basis. In addition to vehicle removal, the associated activities will include the storage and disposal of such vehicles alongside the collection of the statutory fees from customers that relate. The contract is intended to cover both a responsive statutory vehicle removal and the pro-active, ad hoc, ‘pre-positioning / standby’ of vehicle recovery resource at locations to be designated by National Highways, as well as offering the potential for providing vehicle recovery services during scheme road works. Statutory removals are focussed on those parts of the SRN in England that are patrolled by Traffic Officers, who have the powers sanctioned within the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles (Traffic Officers)(England) Regulations 2008 to effect statutory removals. The appointed contractor will be responsible for (but not liable for) the recovery of statutory charges from those vehicles statutorily removed in accordance with the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. It is expected that this service will be funded almost entirely by income received from removals, storage and disposal. Anticipated volumes of statutory removals is approximately between 20,000 - 22,000 vehicles per annum. National Highways estimates that this would generate revenue of upwards of £12 million per annum for the appointed contractor in line with anticipated volume of recoveries and those statutory charges that apply. National Highways will also require the services of the supplier to pre-position recovery vehicles for operational purposes to enhance the carriageway clearance abilities of the Traffic Officers. National Highways will fund such pre-positioning and clearance services on an ‘as required’ basis. It is envisaged that pre-positioning costs would be in the region of £1 million per annum. In addition to the two described services, there is also the opportunity for National Highways main works contractors to approach the appointed vehicle recovery contractor to quote to undertake scheme recovery services, i.e. to provide free (for customers) a vehicle recovery service within scheme road works. The main works contractors will pay for this service directly, rather than National Highways. Subject to offering value for money and appointment by the main works contractors, this stands to be an opportunity for the appointed supplier to increase their revenue throughout the life of this contract. It is envisaged that an Invitation to Tender will be issued mid-2025, so that an award of contract with the successful supplier is placed by December 25/January 26 for a new service to be fully operational no later than 1st July 2026. This tender is likely be advertised via the new on-line central digital platform provided by Cabinet Office (TBC) as part of the transition (Feb 2025) to the Procurement Act 2023 (procedure TBC)