With Road Expo Scotland returning to Glasgow next week alongside Bridges Scotland, Highways takes a look at some of the upcoming highlights.
Running from 27-28 November at the SEC Glasgow, Road Expo and Bridges Scotland are free events bringing together the road, transport, traffic and bridges industries.
Road Expo runs in partnership with the devolved government’s national transport agency, Transport Scotland, and for the second successive year transport secretary Fiona Hyslop (pictured above right with past IHE president Martin Polland) will deliver the opening keynote address, providing an update on road safety, major projects and climate change.
Scott Lees, head of network maintenance, Transport Scotland Roads Directorate, says: ‘The cabinet secretary will discuss the Programme for Government, our push to improve road safety performance, major project updates, and our efforts to tackle climate change, deliver net zero and promote innovation.’
Gordon Kirk, sector head of transport exhibitions at the Hemming Group, says: ‘We are delighted to be welcoming the cabinet secretary for transport to take centre stage on what is set to be our largest conference line-up to date.’
Following Ms Hyslop, Transport Scotland’s head of A9 Dualling Programme Delivery, Gemma Patterson, will give an update on one of Scotland’s largest ever transport infrastructure programmes – upgrading 83 miles of single carriageway between Perth and Inverness, where construction work on the third phase starts in the spring.
At the other end of the Road Expo programme – and on the other side of the country – Sergio Escobar of WSP will speak on the second day about the A83 Rest and Be Thankful scheme, specifically accelerating its delivery using a digital approach.
On the first morning, Stephen Davies, Transport Scotland’s head of ITS operations, will present on the continued evolution of the Traffic Scotland Service towards a hybrid service, which continues to use physical infrastructure, while taking advantage of lighter, more intelligent solutions.
Giles Perkins of WSP will then present an overview of the UK Government’s Automated Vehicles Act and what it means for network operators, service providers and others across the highways industry.
Mr Perkins doubles up as the lead on ADEPT’s £30m Live Labs 2 programme on Decarbonising Local Roads and the second day will see him deliver an interactive Lunch and Learn session, offering a chance to discuss Live Lab interventions, how the barriers to them can be overcome and how authorities can benefit.
Live Labs 2 is UK-wide, as illustrated by the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads partnership between North Lanarkshire Council and Transport for West Midlands.
Amey’s Lauren SeBlonka (pictured right) will present on the methodology, material innovations and initial findings from Project Pothole, the programme of trials for low-carbon alternatives to traditional pothole repairs.
Similarly, Aberdeenshire Council is a partner in East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Live Labs 2 project looking at decarbonising street lighting and its chief officer, Ewan Wallace, will share the work being undertaken in Scotland.
Road Expo will also look at two areas where Scotland’s approach differs from England’s. On day one, another senior Transport Scotland figure, air quality manager Vincent McInally, will form one half of a double act on Scotland’s Low Emission Zones LEZs alongside Dom Callaghan from Glasgow City Council.
And with Scottish councils now able to enforce a national ban on pavement parking, John Berry, parking and sustainable transport team leader at Dundee City Council, will discuss the legislation, how the council prepared for the launch of enforcement back in February and how it considers exemption requests.
Another highlight of the packed conference programme is Alan Ferguson, materials advisor to Transport Scotland at Waterman Aspen, who will look at initiatives to yield carbon saving, cost and user experience benefits.
Click here to register for FREE for Road Expo and Bridges Scotland
