Transport Scotland has awarded BEAR Scotland the contract to manage trunk roads in the south-east of the country.

According to the agreement, BEAR Scotland will manage, maintain, and oversee the 314 miles of Scotland’s South East Trunk Road Unit.

The maintenance project is effective as of 16 August this year and will last until 2028.

As an operating company, BEAR Scotland’s roles include the inspection, management, and maintenance of the trunk road assets.

BEAR Scotland managing director Iain Murray said: “We are delighted to have been appointed the trunk road operator for the South East Trunk Road network, which now includes the Queensferry Crossing and Forth Road Bridges.

“Our long-standing experience in trunk road maintenance across Scotland will mean we can continue to deliver and develop a high-level service with a key focus on customer care for the people and organisations that rely on this strategic road network for years to come.”

BEAR Scotland said that it will undertake winter service operations and offer an incident response service and cyclic maintenance activities.

In addition, it will be responsible for supervising all major road and bridge maintenance work.

BEAR Scotland already operates other maintenance contracts, including the management and maintenance of the North West and North East Trunk Road Units.

Furthermore, the supervision of the M80 Stepps to Haggs Project and the A92 Dundee to Arbroath Dualling is also being carried out by the company.

Last February, Transport Scotland opened the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route for traffic.

The 7.5km section of road connects the southern Craibstone to Stonehaven and Charleston section with the Parkhill to Blackdog section in the north.