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By Tony Hallett, 7 April 1999 00:15

NEWS The UK Highways Agency has awarded two contracts worth a total of £7m to Marconi Communications. The first contract - valued at £5m - will see the telecoms equipment supplier maintain the communications network spanning the southern half of the M25, the busy ring-road that circles London. The network includes systems which operate emergency telephones and traffic surveillance cameras, as well as equipment at police motorway control centres. The northern half of the M25 will not fall under Marconi's remit, even though the company helped construct the motorway infrastructure in the 1980s. A Highways Agency spokesman said Siemens has held the contract for the northern stretch of the M25 for some years. "We've split the contracts in two, and that actually makes them more manageable," he said. In recent years, the agency has reduced its number of suppliers in the south of the country to three. Besides Marconi and Siemens, Serco holds the contract for motorway communications in the south west. The second deal covers the National Motorway Communications System. Marconi will provide a team of engineers and other technicians who will make sure the emergency 999 service is available to all motorists. They will also advise on other communications issues, as part of the £2m contract.