Regional companies work on Gibb River Road

• Panel contract awarded to 21 regional companies
• For the supply of plant and equipment hire for the 2015-16 pavement reconstruction works on Gibb River Road

The State Government has awarded a $2.4 million contract for the supply of plant and equipment for the pavement reconstruction works on the Gibb River Road in Western Australia's far north.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the panel contract, awarded to 21 regional companies, would provide more than 30 items of plant and equipment for the road project.

"This contract is an important boost for both the Western Australian plant hire companies and Main Roads which will benefit from being able to use a range of local businesses," Mr Nalder said.

The sealing work near Derby was announced last month as part of a Government commitment to improve high priority sections of the Gibb River Road.

It involves bitumen sealing a 10 kilometre section from Bungarun Road to just before Kimbolton Road.

Some of the companies for the Gibb River Road project are registered Aboriginal businesses engaged under the Government's Aboriginal Economic Participation Strategy.

About 80 per cent of the companies are locally based in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions with several others in regional WA and one from Perth.

Work will be carried out over the dry seasons from September to November 2015 and April to June 2016.

Fact File

• Works in 2015-16 will involve reconstruction and sealing of a 10km section of the Gibb River Road from Bungarun Road

• Works are being directly managed by Main Roads Western Australia Kimberley Region

Minister's office - 6552 6400

Works completed on Gibb River Road to date

• 2008-09 - sealing of an extra eight kilometres between Derby and the Fairfield - Leopold Downs Road
• 2009-10 - works to improve nine kilometres between Lennard River and Napier Range
• 2010-11 - works to improve 24km of Galvins Gorge to Barnett River
• 2011-12 - works to improve 26km from Barnett River to Mount Elizabeth
• 2012-13 - works to improve 18km of road from El Questro to the Great Northern Highway
• 2013-14 - road formation and drainage improvements 23km between Pentecost River and El Questro
• 2014-15 - works to improve 33km from Mount Elizabeth to Gibb River Station.

List of companies