The first ever virtual Highways Awards on 28 January was a major success with a record audience, great humour from host Colin Murray and a huge buzz on social media.
You can watch the event on replay here.
Using the hashtag #HighwaysAwards20, viewers celebrated in style across the country, sending in pictures of everything from families gathered around laptops to watch the fun together, to virtual office parties and happy winners.
Congratulations to everyone at Highways involved in the #HighwaysAwards20 - it was an excellent virtual event ???????????? and well done to my #ShellBitumen colleague @SimonBanbury on his live interview with Colin Murray. pic.twitter.com/5zy8HQEiMB
— Julie Malhan (@JulieMalhan) January 28, 2021
While the event normally packs around 500 people into the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, for this night there were about 500 streams, which by standard TV rating measures suggests at least 1,200 people were watching live.
After a hard year, which forced the 2020 awards to be delayed until now, it was an emotional night but still an upbeat one, full of good humour thanks in no small part to Mr Murray, returning by popular demand after his champion performance for the 2019 Awards.
The sponsors made pre-recorded messages to the industry, while some spoke to Mr Murray by live video link or in the TV studio.
The chosen charity for the event was mental health charity Mind, which is grateful for all your generous, and much-needed donations at this challenging time.
Sponsors
- Clearview Intelligence
- Cold Comfort
- Highway Care
- Highways Jobs
- Highways Magazine
- Insitute of Highway Engineers
- Kier
- Mind
- NWSRG
- Road Expo Scotland
- Shell Bitumen
- SRL Traffic
- Total
- Traffex
- Transport Network
- WJ
Well done @billdbda #HighwaysAwards20 @SWTrunkRoads pic.twitter.com/56STYjH6dX
— Vincent Tait (@vinibobtait34) January 28, 2021
Winners:
Apprentice of the Year Award: Sponsored by the Institute of Highway Engineers?
Winner: Aggregate Industries - Arti Limbachia
Highly Commended: Waterman Aspen Limited - Antony John Clewes
Highway Industry Product of the Year
Winner: HRS - Chevron Traffic Management - Smart Sign, innovative digital technology for smart motorway projects
Highly Commended: Solar Gates UK - INSTABOOM – Anti incursion barriers
Environmental Sustainability in the Highways Sector Award: Sponsored by Total
Winner: Skanska - Trumpington Park and Ride – Skanska on behalf of the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership
Highly Commended: Connect Plus Services, Connect Plus, Skanska, Toppesfield, FM Conway & Atkins - State of the art thin surface course trials on the SRN containing 50% reclaimed asphalt
Road Enhancements and Marking Project of the Year Award: Sponsored by Highways Jobs
Winner: WJ Group, A14 Integrated Delivery Team & Highways England - A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme
Site Safety Initiative Award: Sponsored by Shell Bitumen
Winner: Kier Highways - INSTABOOM & INSTABOOM GS6 development on the M20 J3-5 SMP
Team of the Year Award: Sponsored by Highways Magazine
Winner: Tarmac Trading Limited - Silverstone Circuit Resurfacing
Highly Commended: Balfour Beatty VINCI - M6 junction 2-4 SMP
Award for the Best Use of New Technology in the Highways Industry: Sponsored by Clearview Intelligence
Winner: Sweco/Ayrshire Roads Alliance/Sustrans - Loans to Troon Active Travel Corridor
Highly Commended: Highways England - Technical Standards Enterprise System
Sweco Active Travel Team ready to win their first of many awards. #HighwaysAwards20 pic.twitter.com/Z7Ox6Dl1Fu
— Matthew (@SinclairMatthew) January 28, 2021
Most Innovative Highway Authority Scheme of the Year Award: Sponored by Transport Network
Winner: Somerset County Council, AECOM, Whitemountain - Colley Lane Southern Access Road
Highways Maintenance Efficiency Award: Sponsored by Highway Care
Winner: Balfour Beatty Plant and Fleet Services in Partnership with Connect Plus Services - Vacuum Litter Picker
Highly Commended: Ringway and Highways England - A Collaborative Journey to Service Efficiency
Road Safety Scheme of the Year Award: Sponored by Cold Comfort
Winner: The Metropolitan Police and Transport for London - Casualty Reduction on the A10
Highways Partnership Award: Sponsored by WJ
Winner: BEAR Scotland and Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company - Supporting Scotland’s Armed Forces Veterans
Highly Commended: Leicestershire County Council and Morgan Sindall - partnership on the Midlands Highways Alliance framework
Major Project Award: Sponored by Road Expo Scotland
Winner: Highways England and the A14 Integrated Delivery Team - A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme – Much more than a road!
Highly Commended: Ringway Jacobs, Transport for London - Highbury Corner
Highly Commended: London Borough of Waltham Forest - Whipps Cross Interchange
Mental Health and Well-Being in the Highways Sector Award: Sponsored by Mind
Winner: Highway Traffic Management - Talk More
Winter Maintenance Award Sponsored by NWSRG
Grayson H & E Services and Sefton MBC – A new dedicated Winter Maintenance Depot in Sefton
Judges' Special Merit Award: Sponsored by SRL
Winner: Highways England and the A14 Integrated Delivery Team.
Lifetime Achievment Award: Sponsored by Kier
Winner: Bill Smith
