Businesses from across the UK are being invited to find out how they can become suppliers for the 10-year programme of transport schemes West Yorkshire Combined Authority is developing through its £1bn Growth Deal Transport Fund.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the West Yorkshire districts, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Yorkshire & Humber Infrastructure Alliance (YHIA) are holding a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event at Unity Hall in Wakefield on Friday 4 December.
Companies attending the morning event will be able to meet the teams managing the Growth Deal Transport Programme projects. There will be opportunities to find out more about the procurement process and potential schemes and provide their feedback and find out how they can register as a potential supplier.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee Chair, Cllr Keith Wakefield said:
“Our Growth Deal Transport Programme includes 26 individual schemes that will generate £2.4bn GVA per annum in the local economy and 20,000 permanent new jobs by the mid-2030s. It will also create thousands of temporary positions during the development and construction phases.
“The Programme got underway with the start of work on the Wakefield Eastern Relief Road in July and a range of schemes are scheduled to start in the next couple of years
“Over the Programme’s 10 years, we will be commissioning over £1bn of work so this represents a huge opportunity for local companies.
“We want organisations representing every stage of the supply chain, from legal firms to construction contractors to come to this event. They will be able to find out what we and our partners in the districts have planned and next steps in the procurement procedure.”
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, Cllr Barry Collins said:
“We are on the verge of a huge programme of transport investment in West Yorkshire. In Calderdale alone, it includes schemes to cut congestion on the A629 corridor, improve accessibility around Halifax town centre and upgrade the Calder Valley rail line.
“Hopefully, local businesses will now be queuing up to seize the opportunities the project offers, whether here or elsewhere in the region.”
LEP Chair, Roger Marsh OBE said:
“The LEP secured a transformational £30m a year transport deal over 20 years as part of the largest Growth Deal in the country with government in July 2014. As a result, we have a strong pipeline of transport projects that will help unlock the vast economic potential in our districts.
“This is a unique opportunity for businesses across Leeds City Region to join the diverse supply chain for these projects. From our exceptional manufacturing companies to the outstanding financial and professional services sector, businesses in the Leeds City Region are well positioned to secure these contract opportunities and further add to the growth of the regional economy.”
A Yorkshire & Humber Infrastructure Alliance’s spokesperson said:
“This event is a unique opportunity for a wide range of companies, including SMEs, to understand the aims and objectives of the Combined Authority and the districts, and speak directly with them. It should also bring together all tiers of the supply chain, enabling relationships to be fostered and collaboration to begin where appropriate, to support the delivery of this significant work programme for the region.”
The 10-year programme is being funded through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal, a £1 billion package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region. As part of the Deal, secured in July 2014, the Government confirmed £180 million over six years to support the West Yorkshire Transport Fund.
Combined with local commitments, the Fund will deliver a programme of improvements to the City Region’s transport infrastructure that will underpin growth by and connecting people to jobs and goods to markets. Fund projects will reduce congestion, improve the flow of freight and making it easier for people to commute to and from expected major growth areas and open up land for housing development.
December’s half-day ‘Meet the Buyer Event’ event will begin with an introduction to the Growth Deal Transport Programme by Cllr Wakefield, followed by an explanation of the procurement process by the Senior Responsible Officer Ian Gray. After a Question and Answer session, delegates will then have the chance to meet the districts’ commissioning teams who will outline and explain their projects.
One hundred companies have already registered an interest in the process and Up to 200 companies are expected to attend which is also expected to include exhibitions by Network Rail and Highways England.
Companies can register for the event, which will run from 8.30am to 2pm, and find out more at www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/(external link) .
The Combined Authority will also be using its @WestYorkshireCA Twitter account for updates about the event