With a proud history of road maintenance capabilities, our VBA team provide road asset management services to Sydney's South. 

Known as the Stewardship Maintenance Contract (SMC), the contract is one of the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere encompassing 1,000km of roads, 237 bridges and eight tunnels, and stretching from the south of Sydney's metropolitan district to the Sutherland National Park.

Services

Commencing in March 2014 and running through June 2021, our team provides improvement and maintenance services to the region.

• Maintenance and improvement work
• Network operations support
• Operational asset management
• Incident management
• Event management
• Associated project management.

Innovation

Our inspection teams drive an average of 230,000kms every year inspecting the SMC road network. With such high volumes, the introduction of an innovative camera system aptly name 'Black Moth' is providing enhanced inspection capabilities.  

The camera system allows for a 360-degree view around the vehicle, using four fish-eye cameras backed up by GPS tracking.

The images and video snapshots are recorded at the press of a button and are geo-located. They are then dispatched wirelessly through to our data-warehouse for processing. The benefits of this system include the images being real-time, improved accuracy, and ultimately better planned and reactive maintenance works. 

^{The Blackmoths camera system allows for a 360-degree view around the vehicle, using four fish-eye cameras backed up by GPS tracking.}

Tactical decision-making capabilities 

Drawing on the team's rich and intimate asset knowledge, we look at ways to create efficiencies across a whole of network approach. We do this through the application of innovative technologies which enable expert analysis, planning and optimisation. This includes the use of real-time information showing location of deployed resources, enabling us to deploy crews located closest to the works, reducing response times and keeping customers moving. 

We have a single, overarching works plan, which helps reduce disruption to road users by taking the opportunity during any given closure to address asset and inspection maintenance, and project delivery requirements. 

The VBA team plan to forge new relationships in Sydney's east to collaborate on ways to minimise congestion and keep Sydney moving. From sharing defect knowledge and working closely with partners, the vision is to address defects and deliver improvement projects with minimum disruption through initiatives such as shared traffic control.

Following a stewardship model

We take our responsibility as stewards of the network seriously; it guides our asset management approach to make sure we act in the best interests of the NSW Government, the travelling public, and the communities we serve.

We ensure we live by the stewardship principals by putting the customer first, performing services in the best interests of our client, taking responsibility and accountability for all outcomes, managing the assets effectively by establishing a forward works program and routine annual maintenance plan to optimise spend, and working collaboratively with the NSW Government to deliver services. 

Sydney Maintenance representatives are co-located with our team to support collaboration in delivering these outcomes 

Bridge expertise and innovation

VBA has a dedicated and skilled bridge crew who are equipped to undertake all types of bridge maintenance and improvement projects.

We have developed in-house capability for the installation of cathodic protection, which is a technique used to control the corrosion of a metal surface. 

The team delivered cathodic protection works on the Old Tom Uglys and New Tom Uglys bridges in Sylvania, Sydney, and in mid-2019 they worked on the Giovanni Brunetti bridge at Mascot, named after the worker that decided to unofficially open the bridge on its completion in April 1972. 

^{Some of the VBA team near Tom Ugly's Bridge.}

Bradfield Highway Slope Remediation Project

In mid-2020, the team delivered maintenance and remediation for the sandstone slopes in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, the Bradfield Highyway, located near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The team protected heritage and improved safety and reliability for the 160,000 motorists that use this part of the network every day.

^{Remediation of the historic sandstone slopes on Sydney's Bradfield Highway.}