News

06/08/2020

Disability campaigner Lord Holmes of Richmond argues that it is not enough to build back better; we must build back together with accessibility at the heart of our infrastructure-led recovery.

06/08/2020

Highways England has awarded Amey a 15-year Specialist Bridge Inspection and Maintenance contract worth £16m a year.

06/08/2020

Changes to developer contributions could threaten funding streams for council highways and other infrastructure, national and local politicians have warned.

06/08/2020

Work is to start next week on a £17.5m motorway junction improvement project after the council controversially diverted nearly £5m from an art gallery to make up a funding shortfall.

05/08/2020

The presidency of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) has been officially handed over to Stephen Webb, who will serve until June 2022.

05/08/2020

Highways England’s Smart Motorway Alliance is set to hold a virtual supply chain strategy briefing event.

05/08/2020

Highways England has awarded Kier Highways a contract worth up to £160m over eight years to maintain its roads in Kent and Sussex.

05/08/2020

Bristol City Council has closed Bristol Bridge to general motor traffic under plans to improve air quality and make it easier for people to catch the bus, walk and cycle in the city.

05/08/2020

Breedon has completed its acquisition of CEMEX UK’s assets and operations but their integration has been put on hold pending a competition investigation.

04/08/2020

Highways England has outlined a £114m spending pledge to improve the East of England's roads, pavements and bridges over the next 12 months.

04/08/2020

London’s Vauxhall Bridge will be closed to general traffic from the weekend for what Transport for London described as ‘critical maintenance’, but no date has been set for ‘top priority’ major renewals that were postponed due to a lack of cash.

04/08/2020

SRL Traffic Systems is expanding into the high speed variable message sign (VMS) market, with a multi-million pound investment in a fleet of large units designed for dual carriageways and motorways.

31/07/2020

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has said no action will be taken against Highways England despite the Government-owned company failing to meet a key safety commitment.

30/07/2020

A study by some of the UK's top universities has argued most of the carbon dioxide emissions from road freight could be eliminated by the introduction of e-highways, which use overhead charging cables for electric lorries.

30/07/2020

The Government's provisional road casualty statistics report reveals there were 1,748 reported road deaths in 2019 in Great Britain, a 2% fall on 2018.

30/07/2020

Red Stag Materials has won a place on the ESPO 250_20 Road Repair Materials Framework, allowing them to reach more public sector clients with exclusive cold asphalt solutions.

30/07/2020

Hi-tech weighing and vehicle telematics provider, Exactrak has signed a partnership agreement with asset management provider, Yotta, to provide joint solutions to local authorities.

30/07/2020

In order to help facilitate the next steps for LCRIG the Board asked me to join as CEO just about a month ago and of course, I was delighted to accept. After all, I thought ‘now all the hard work has been done…’ Not unexpectedly I was sadly wrong.

28/07/2020

The planned transfer of Welsh Government highways functions to Transport for Wales has been postponed indefinitely.

28/07/2020

The prime minister and the Department for Transport (DfT) have unveiled an extensive active travel strategy, with wide ranging reforms to revolutionise cycling infrastructure and prioritisation.

27/07/2020

Highways England has announced it will increase the basic speed limit at which motorists can drive through roadworks from 50mph to 60mph.

27/07/2020

Following the launch of the first ITS UK manifesto, secretary general Jennie Martin talks to Dominic Browne about horses and driverless cars, nudges over sticks and a future based more on intelligent networks than extra capacity.

24/07/2020

A free to attend e-conference focused on how the highways sector can 'build back better' after COVID-19 is to be held in September.

23/07/2020

Highways England was initially ‘in denial’ about needing to prove it had made the level of efficiency savings it was claiming, its regulator has said.

23/07/2020

An independent review of Highways England’s spending on safety has found that it is inadequate to meet its short-term and long-term safety targets.

22/07/2020

The Government has rejected calls for reforms to the national Aggregates Levy but will consult on the tax treatment of aggregate removed during construction works.

22/07/2020

Highways England is unable to say exactly when it will publish its 2020-25 delivery plan, which should have been made public shortly after the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS 2).

22/07/2020

Leading engineering specialist Spencer Group is set to begin work next month to refurbish and rebuild one of the world’s oldest suspension bridges.

22/07/2020

Eurovia technical director Paul Kidd talks to Highways about how the company is taking customer-focused innovation into the operational realm of maintenance and construction.

22/07/2020

Highways England has met its reduced target for the delivery of major schemes but must do more to improve safety on its network, the strategic roads regulator has said.

21/07/2020

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) COVID-19 Task Force has published a methodology for assessing and reporting the cost implications of disruption due to the pandemic.

21/07/2020

Former board member of the Crown Estate and Thames Water, Dipesh J Shah OBE, will be the new chair of Highways England.

20/07/2020

Coventry City Council has become the first in the UK to install the long-awaited Plus+ traffic signal system from Siemens Mobility.

20/07/2020

Equipment hire is a significant part of the infrastructure and civil engineering sector. A new business has been launched to help support those who ensure the roads sector has the tools for the job.

20/07/2020

Civil engineering firm Jones Bros has started work on a £32m highways scheme after winning a re-tendered contract with Cambridgeshire County Council.

20/07/2020

Road safety experts have called on the Government to maintain EU vehicle standards after Brexit and not bow to pressure to accept US or Australian regulations under any free trade agreements.

20/07/2020

Disruption caused by COVID-19 provides a ‘breathing space’ for large road schemes to be reconsidered and alternatives put in place, the South East Wales Transport Commission has argued in its ‘Emerging Conclusions’ report.

17/07/2020

Leading road marking company WJ has teamed up with Kraton Corporation, a global producer of pine chemicals, to make road marking products with a significantly lower footprint.

16/07/2020

Ministers have announced a ban on tyres aged 10 years and older on lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales.

16/07/2020

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced another delay to its decision on whether to approve the development of the Stonehenge Tunnel.

16/07/2020

The next physical Cold Comfort Scotland event will now take place on 22 April 2021 with its place in the calendar this September filled by a new virtual event – the Cold Comfort Digital Academy.

16/07/2020

Meon has launched a Virtual EXPO showcasing new-to-market innovations and good practice in managing, specifying and contracting the nation's infrastructure.

16/07/2020

The Welsh Senedd has backed plans to make 20mph speed limits the default limit in residential areas and expects to implement the change by 2023.

16/07/2020

Nearly two thousand drivers had their vehicles damaged by potholes during lockdown despite road traffic plummeting, according to the RAC.

15/07/2020

Construction materials firm Hanson has launched a new Collect & Go service for asphalt customers at eight sites across the UK, following a trial at its Leeds plant.

15/07/2020

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) long-awaited Street Manager database went live from the beginning of this month with a method of identifying specific locations at its heart. Chris Ames takes a look at the many uses of the Unique Street Reference Number (USRN).

14/07/2020

The Disputes and Collaboration group for the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) COVID-19 Task Force has published guidance on futureproofing contract amendments in response to COVID-19

13/07/2020

The UK’s Intelligent Transport Society, ITS (UK), has released a 10-point manifesto setting out its commitments to the transport technology sector and the travelling public.

13/07/2020

New data suggests that ‘smart motorway’ schemes may become more dangerous in the long-term as extra space is taken up by increased traffic.

13/07/2020

Balfour Beatty has released a report considering how best to seize the moment, learn the lessons of lockdown and embed long overdue change in the infrastructure sector, with a list of recommendations and key points for the future, near and far.

13/07/2020

Ministers have announced a review of roads policing to address stalling progress in reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Britain’s roads.

13/07/2020

Devon County Council has prepared and approved a full business case for the £93m North Devon Link Road improvements, which will be submitted to the Department for Transport next month.

10/07/2020

The Local Councils Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) has announced the appointment of industry stalwart Martin Duffy as its interim chief executive.

10/07/2020

On the back of recent growth and new commercial partnerships, Highway Care has announced two significant board appointments.

10/07/2020

Gaist has launched a new SafetyView road inspection service following trials in three councils and input from the Department for Transport and insurance companies.

09/07/2020

Highway Care has appointed Mark Bird as National Project Manager of TASCAR services from August 2020.

09/07/2020

Councils in England are facing a huge loss of income from parking revenue due to COVID-19, with the fall in revenue set to run into millions.

09/07/2020

The number of people killed on Highways England’s road network is now above the trajectory needed to achieve a 40% cut by 2020, having risen for four consecutive years between 2014 and 2018.

09/07/2020

Winvic Construction Ltd has appointed Rob Cook, formally of Graham Construction, as its new civils and infrastructure director.

09/07/2020

Highways England has appointed five companies as technical advisers to support the delivery of its multi-billion pound Regional Delivery Partnership (RDP) model.

09/07/2020

Amey has appointed former Murphy Group boss, Peter Anderson, as managing director of its Transport Infrastructure business.

08/07/2020

Siemens Mobility Limited has won a 10-year contract with Renfrewshire Council to upgrade and expand the authority's traffic control system thought to be worth in the region of £1.9m.

08/07/2020

'One weekend closure. 400 tonnes of steelwork. One River Thames diversion. One stunning sunrise. One bridge widened: the M4 smart motorway upgrade has reached its halfway point with its most complex work yet.'

08/07/2020

The Highways Awards 2020 – one of the biggest nights in the sector’s calendar – has been postponed until January but is still planned to take place as a full-scale live event at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

08/07/2020

More than 10,000 tonnes of ash from Drax, the UK’s biggest power station, was used in the early completion of the UK’s biggest road scheme.

08/07/2020

Kent County Council is seeking a contractor for surfacing works worth up to £160m over two years.

08/07/2020

A road widening on the A500 in Staffordshire has been completed three months ahead of schedule, Highways England has said.

06/07/2020

Ro Cartwright and Chris Spong explain recent fundamental changes to UKPMS (the standard for UK Pavement Management Systems) and a process for new systems to become accredited.

06/07/2020

The Government-funded ADEPT Smart Places Live-Lab programme has announced the 10 successful SMEs that will enter the SIMULATE incubator programme to trial air quality and mobility solutions in Staffordshire.

06/07/2020

Necessity and great invention often go hand in hand. Peter Baynham, Atkins UK’s head of strategic highways, talks to Dominic Browne about remembering the lessons of the last few months and the positive changes for business.

03/07/2020

The UK‘s first CYCLOPS junction has been launched in Hulme, South Manchester, separating pedestrians and cyclists from traffic through a new unique design.

03/07/2020

The International Parking Community (IPC) has launched a new special interest group to focus on the specific interests of accredited service providers and announced it will be hosting a programme of webinars with members.

03/07/2020

Jones Bros has completed a major highways scheme that promises better connectivity to Wigan’s town centre.

03/07/2020

Highways magazine is launching a brand new service called ‘Highways Presents’ that encompasses the power of video to give readers a chance to learn from experts across the sector in just five minutes, similar to a TED Talk.

02/07/2020

Highways England has reminded drivers to check that the loads they are carrying are safely secured as it released a video of a roadworker being knocked down by a flying metal object and images of items strewn across roads.

02/07/2020

More than 10 million cars are predicted to be on the roads in England this weekend, as the easing of lockdown restrictions allows for overnight stays.

02/07/2020

The latest in Highways' Local Diary series - Kully Boden, highway asset team leader for Derby City Council, reports on a research project to develop a local authority crash model for skid resistance.

02/07/2020

A leading road safety charity and an insurer have called on ministers to provide new funding to tackle England’s highest risk roads.

01/07/2020

Following praise for Highways England from the strategic roads watchdog for ‘acting with speed and decisiveness’ in its response to the pandemic, Highways gets a briefing on some of the innovative ways the government-owned company has kept people safe and the country moving.

01/07/2020

Safety and security specialist Highway Care has a deal with Italian firm SMA Road Safety to become UK Distributor of SMA’s full range of road safety solutions.

01/07/2020

Statutory guidance for highways permit schemes has been updated following the launch of the Government's new digital platform for planning and managing road works on Wednesday.

30/06/2020

Boris Johnson, has pledged to 'build, build, build' under a 'new deal' that will accelerate roads and wider infrastructure spending and bring forward an initial £5bn for the first stage of COVID-19 recovery.

26/06/2020

A trial has shown how exposing a variable message sign (VMS) radar log can act as a real-time portable traffic data system, in what has been called a ‘landmark achievement’.

26/06/2020

The fiftieth anniversary of Glasgow’s Kingston Bridge is being celebrated with a bid to get the structure listed as a structure of historic and architectural interest.

25/06/2020

The Northern Ireland Executive has said it aims to aid economic recovery by progressing a raft of strategic infrastructure schemes and flagship projects, including the much-delayed £1bn-plus A5 Western Transport Corridor scheme.

25/06/2020

The only motorway in England which drivers need to leave to continue their journey on the same motorway could be about to get its missing link in the form of a redesigned interchange.

25/06/2020

Surrey County Council is carrying out further pre-market engagement for a highway maintenance contract that could be worth £800m over 14-21 years.

23/06/2020

Safety and security firm Highway Care and technology provider Neology have announced a new partnership for the use of Temporary Average Speed at Roadworks.

23/06/2020

The Welsh Government has confirmed its preferred bidder for the final two sections of the troubled A465 Heads of the Valleys dualling scheme.

22/06/2020

ADEPT stalwart Mike Ashworth is to retire as executive director for economy, transport and environment at Derbyshire County Council.

19/06/2020

One of the chief critics of abortive plans to build a relief road for the M4 at Newport has welcomed news that the body looking at alternatives will now review its own work to take account of the impacts of COVID-19.

18/06/2020

Council directors are preparing for a third iteration of the highways maintenance Safe Operating Procedures should social distancing guidance change.

18/06/2020

The commission on alternatives to the cancelled M4 Relief Road at Newport, South Wales will review its work to take account of the impacts of COVID-19, Highways can reveal.

18/06/2020

Highways England is to close part of a key Yorkshire interchange at the centre of the M1 and M62 network later this month after bringing forward essential maintenance work.

18/06/2020

A technology company has warned of the need for cost-effective and safe means of assessing the condition of footways as the newest edition of the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways is set to bring in new requirements.

18/06/2020

North Yorkshire County Council’s newly-formed highways company has appointed Ross Bullerwell as its managing director.

17/06/2020

Durham County Council has begun work on a £2.5m scheme to demolish and replace a road bridge near Bishop Auckland.

17/06/2020

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has announceed that 'green' number plates for electric vehicles will be rolled out across the UK from the autumn.

17/06/2020

Highways England has awarded a new Specialist Professional and Technical Services framework valued at up to £300m over four years.

17/06/2020

The Welsh Government has announced nearly £17m in transport grants, with £5m of the cash to be spent on repairing damage from storms earlier this year.