A leading national support services company has appointed a local team to oversee its bid for the contract to upgrade Birmingham's roads, pavements and lights.

Amey, part of Ferrovial, one of Europe's largest infrastructure and services groups, will submit its bid for the £2.7 billion Birmingham Highways private finance initiative (PFI) contract in the spring.

If successful, Amey will be responsible for improving Birmingham's roads, pavements, bridges, tunnels and replacing Birmingham's 90,000 street lights over the next 25 years.

Frank Coldwell, leading the bid team, said: "The Highways PFI contract is the largest in the UK.

"It demonstrates the City Council's commitment to ensuring Birmingham's streets meet the standards expected of a global city.

"Maintaining the highways network is essential to ensure the connectivity of the transport network.

"This will be over a period of time when major ongoing transformation of the city will be happening as illustrated in the Big City Plan.

"As a Birmingham company we have a vested interest in the future of the city and the opportunity to play a part in its ongoing development is one we are obviously keen to contribute towards."

Mr Coldwell will be supported in the bid by Derek Hardy, street services manager, Tamara Tate, bid project manager and Sunita Kaur-Bange, human resources business partner.

The contract - Britain's biggest local government highways sector PFI project - will include a five-year core investment period and significant spending to create a step change in the look of Birmingham's road systems.

More than 300 jobs will be created with a further 300 staff likely to transfer from Birmingham City Council to work on the project.

Amey already has strong links with Birmingham as it maintains the motorway network around the city and has six Birmingham offices. It bought a slice of history in 2006 when it acquired Birmingham-based construction services consultant and Spaghetti Junction designers Owen Williams in 2006.