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Welsh Government gives green light to delayed £135m bypass 25/05/2018
Three councils share £173m for road shemes 25/05/2018 Ministers have announced a total of £173m towards three major local authority road schemes.
Uber to provide sick pay and parental leave 24/05/2018 The GMB union has hailed what it called ‘a hard-fought victory’ after Uber agreed to give drivers insurance cover providing benefits such as sick pay and parental leave.
It’s good to talk: Highways speaks to Openreach about street works, fines and collaboration 24/05/2018 Highways spoke to BT Openreach about how utilities and local authorities could work together better and perhaps find some common ground, compromise and even solutions.
New kid on the EV block announces £1.6bn plans 24/05/2018 A new entrant to the electric vehicle charging market has announced plans for a £1.6bn investment programme to build rapid charging facilities across the country.
National park seeks judicial review of 'damaging' Arundel scheme 24/05/2018 The controversial A27 bypass could face a judicial review after the local national parks authority announced plans to scupper what it said was a 'damaging scheme'.
DfT reluctant to issue EV charging guidance 24/05/2018 Senior figures in local highways have urged the Government to produce new guidance for electric vehicle charging facilities but the Department for Transport (DfT) appears to be reluctant.
Scottish road works boss hits out at Grayling's utilities plans 24/05/2018 The Scottish Road Works Commissioner has described Chris Grayling’s proposal to make the footway the default location for new utilities as 'wholly impractical' and 'politically driven'.
'Not very joined up': MPs and transport chiefs slam pollution plan 24/05/2018 Senior politicians and transport experts have criticised the Government’s latest clean air strategy for what they saw as a failure to tackle emissions from transport.
Contractors predict summer finish for Aberdeen bypass 24/05/2018 Transport Scotland has said it still expects the troubled Aberdeen bypass to open in the autumn, despite the remaining contractors on the project predicting a finish this summer.
Councils told to 'join the conversation' on roads revolution 22/05/2018 The Local Government Association (LGA) has urged councils to grasp the opportunities offered by the technological revolution in road transport, warning that decisions taken now could have a ‘profound effect' on communities of the future.
Conway looks to strengthen highways expertise with key promotions 22/05/2018 FM Conway has bolstered its senior team with promotions in key divisions, aiming to support its ongoing focus on developing its core highways services.
Grayling hits the North to open £400m A1 upgrade 21/05/2018 Chris Grayling has officially opened a new section of the A1 following a major upgrade that was delayed and went over budget.
WebTAG update sees raft of changes 21/05/2018 The Government's WebTAG transport analysis guidance sees a batch of significant updates this month, including changes covering rail demand forecasting, the wider economic impacts of transport schemes and the economic impact of air pollution.
Big step forward for footways and cycle route management 21/05/2018 The UK Roads Liaison Group has published a suite of documents to support asset management associated with footways and cycle routes.
Europe's third mobility package makes big safety push 18/05/2018 The European Commission has announced details of its Third Mobility Package, which includes a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on EU roads by 50% between 2020 and 2030.
Second Cold Comfort podcast online now 17/05/2018
UK in the dock of Europe's highest court over air pollution 17/05/2018 The UK is facing heavy fines after being one of six nations referred to Europe’s highest court for failing to tackle illegal levels of air pollution.
Tarmac first to step up against modern slavery 17/05/2018 Tarmac is thought to be the first organisation in the highways sector to sign up to a public initiative aimed at eradicating modern slavery and labour exploitation.
International alliance formed to improve parking data 17/05/2018 Dave Smith, head of public affairs and research at the British Parking Association gives readers the lowdown on the latest international moves to provide drivers with a better parking experience and authorities with better information.
Counting cars, costs and business 17/05/2018 Sandrine Cocks - new business product development manager for OPTEX in Europe - discusses the importance of vehicle detection technology for commercial outlets and the methods used.
Local roads innovation group gets thumbs up from DfT 17/05/2018 The Department for Transport (DfT) has celebrated the work of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG), which has provided a 'national support network’ for asset management and just launched a new website providing a portal to share best practice and facilitate benchmarking.
Total Bitumen's six pillars of strength 16/05/2018 Total Bitumen has celebrated major advances recently. Highways reports on the sustainable foundations that keep this giant’s feet firmly on the ground while it helps take the whole sector forward.
Shell Cariphalte: 50 years and counting 16/05/2018 To mark 50 years of the Shell Cariphalte range of polymer modified bitumen, Highways spoke to Professor John Read, general manager for bitumen technology at Shell.
Cold Comfort day one podcast online now 16/05/2018 Cold Comfort is the annual winter maintenance conference and exhibition, now in its 27th year, taking place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. And the
Carillion: MPs slam Government, directors and auditors 16/05/2018 MPs have accused the Government of lacking ‘the decisiveness or bravery’ to address the failures in corporate regulation that allowed Carillion to collapse as a result of the ‘recklessness, hubris and greed’ of its directors.
M23 scheme gets off to a flying start 15/05/2018 A new video shows how contractors on a scheme to resurface a key section of the M23 used an innovative technique to get the job done ahead of a £164m upgrade to a smart motorway.
Improving the future of the here and now 15/05/2018 The incoming president of the Local Government Technical Advisers Group (TAG), John Lamb, tells Highways about his plans for the organisation and how it hopes to lead the sector through the storms of disruption on the horizon.
New RSMA chief talkin’ bout an evolution 14/05/2018 The new chief executive of the Road Safety Markings Association has told Highways about his plans to change the organisation for the better while building on the strong foundations left by his predecessor.
Report highlights safety risks of 'barbaric' slavery practices 14/05/2018 Workers in the construction industry are vulnerable to exploitation and slavery, including the cover-up of serious accidents, according to two new reports.
£250m Arundel scheme goes ahead 14/05/2018 Highways England has announced its preferred route for the £250m scheme to build a bypass for the A27 at Arundel in West Sussex.
Amey books £200m loss over Birmingham troubles 11/05/2018 Amey's parent company, Ferrovial, has reported a loss of some £141m in the first three months of 2018, mainly related to the fallout from the Birmingham PFI contract.
Thirteen on £46m Edinburgh Highways framework 11/05/2018 Thirteen contractors are in line for construction, repair and maintenance work to the City of Edinburgh's road network under a framework valued at up to £46m.
Grayling backs Silvertown tunnel, despite pollution concerns 10/05/2018 Chris Grayling has given the go-ahead for the controversial road tunnel at Silvertown in East London, despite concerns over its impact on air pollution in the area.
Read all about it - Cold Comfort preview now online 10/05/2018 With the programme finalised for Cold Comfort 2018, which takes place next week, a preview of the show has been published in the latest Highways magazine, now online.
Aggregate Industries wins £70m pavement contract for A14 scheme 10/05/2018 Aggregate Industries has won a £70m contract to deliver the surfacing works for England’s largest current road improvement project.
Eleven on £3.3bn Highways England resurfacing framework 09/05/2018 Highways England has placed 11 firms on a four-year framework for resurfacing works that could be worth up to £3.3bn
Listen to the new Transport Network podcast 09/05/2018 The first of Transport Network’s new regular podcasts is now online, talking this week about driverless cars on both sides of the Atlantic and also looking ahead to next week’s Cold Comfort event.
Grayling hands STBs £2m to develop transport plans 09/05/2018 Ministers have given two sub-national transport bodies £2m to develop their transport strategies.
Highways England digs for victory on £75m triple-deck roundabout 09/05/2018 A major project to create the North East’s first triple decker junction is entering its final stage as work starts to complete the new underpass.
Eurovia secures ‘vital re-win’ with £45m Kent contract 09/05/2018 Eurovia Infrastructure has won a new contract to resurface the rural and urban road network throughout Kent, which could be worth £45m.
£40k fine for utility firms told not to carry out roadworks 09/05/2018 Two utility firms have been fined a total of £40,000 by a council after pleading guilty to multiple roadwork offences, in some cases on jobs they were told not to do.
National road workers report 300 dangerous or abusive incidents a week 09/05/2018 Highways England has revealed that here are nearly 300 incidents of incursions and abuse reported by road workers on the strategic road network every week.
US driverless cars expert says Level 5 cars 'long way off' 09/05/2018 One of the leading researchers into driverless vehicle technology in the US has told SMART Highways that cars with no steering wheel that can 'go anywhere, anytime are a very long way off'.
Latest 3M webinar to explore new R3C signing class 08/05/2018 3M will discuss the new R3C class of retroreflective traffic sign materials in the next instalment of its Lunchtime Learning series of free webinars.
Calm down, deer 08/05/2018 Drivers across South West Scotland are being advised to look out for deer wandering onto trunk roads and motorways, particularly during May.
Pompey advertises £70m design and build contract for new road 08/05/2018 Portsmouth City Council is looking for a design and build contractor to deliver new road and highways infrastructure that aims to achieve a ‘transformational change’ to the city centre.
Bath council not short of interest for £70m highways contract 08/05/2018 Bath and North East Somerset Council is seeking bids for a highways maintenance and improvement contract that could be worth £70m over ten years.
Project 13 blueprint to end 'stranglehold of short-termist construction' 04/05/2018 A new blueprint for the future of high performing infrastructure has been unveiled by the Project 13 initiative, with the support of government and sponsored by the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
AA ‘piles pressure’ on Grayling over potholes 04/05/2018 Nine out of 10 drivers believe roads are worse now compared to 10 years, ago according to a study by the AA.
Highways England plays it safe on key research 03/05/2018 Highways England has pledged to publish ‘findings’ from groundbreaking safety research into England’s strategic road network (SRN) by the end of the year.
WSP to update cycling infrastructure guidance 03/05/2018 The Department for Transport (DfT) has appointed WSP to revise and update its cycling infrastructure design guidance.
Highways England: Paving the way to smoother journeys 03/05/2018 Thanks to a new piece of kit, Highways England and its contractors are working hard to speed up resurfacing work on a major scheme.
Mr Brown goes to...Tarmac 03/05/2018 Tarmac has bolstered its contracting senior management team with the appointment former Carillion MD of Andy Brown as director, Tarmac Infrstructure.
Contractors appointed to £20m NE Lincs framework 03/05/2018 Grimsby-based North East Lincolnshire Borough Council has appointed 16 contractors to a highway works framework for minor highways maintenance and improvement work worth a total of £20m.
Traffic officers with the force in Cornwall 03/05/2018 Highways England has extended its trial deployment of traffic officers on the A30 in Cornwall to cover this month’s two bank holidays, as estimates suggest that around 8 million leisure trips by car are planned this weekend.
Finance expert added to Highways England board 03/05/2018 Kathryn Cearns OBE has been appointed as a non-executive director of Highways England for three years.
Analysis: Of speed and its limits 02/05/2018 Highways received a briefing on Highways England's attempts to refine its variable speed limit system.
The sector reacts: Is Chris Grayling right about pavements and utilities? 02/05/2018 Transport Network gives a round-up of the key reactions to Chris Grayling's plans for pavements to become the default location for new utility infrastructure.
The Long Read: The utilities question 01/05/2018 Richard Hayes, chief executive of the Institute of Highway Engineers, discusses plans to develop a new training scheme for road inspections that could help square a circle with the issues arising from utility operations and reinstatements.
MSP seeks default 20mph limit across Scotland 30/04/2018 A Green Party Member of the Scottish Parliament has pledged to take forward a bill that would cut the default speed limit for built-up areas across the country to 20mph.
Highways England reviewing use of variable speed limits 30/04/2018 Highways England is carrying out a ‘comprehensive review’ of variable speed limits on motorways but has defended its practice of implementing restrictions before drivers hit congestion.
Grayling plans to put utilities under pavements to cut potholes 30/04/2018 Ministers plan to make pavements the default location for new utility infrastructure, to cut down on roadworks and potholes, it has been reported.
Exclusive: Highways England analysis makes grim reading for Brexit 30/04/2018 An industry survey that Highways England has not released to the public reveals the potentially brutal impact of Brexit on skills and delivery.
Eurovia demonstrates recycling for Responsible Business Week 27/04/2018 Eurovia UK is marking Responsible Business Week 2018 by celebrating sustainable practice across its businesses.
Simple tyre checks could save lives, Highways Engand says 27/04/2018 More than 30 people were killed or seriously injured in motorway crashes in 2016 due to illegal or faulty tyres, but almost three quarters of tyre failure-related motorway incidents could be prevented by simple checks, according to new research.
Staffordshire wins big with IHE recognition 27/04/2018 Three major highways schemes in Staffordshire have been recognised by the Institute of Highway Engineers for their quality of design and for helping enable future economic growth.
Egis returns to M40 after snapping up Carillion work 26/04/2018 France-based international engineering group Egis has taken over Carillion’s operations and maintenance contract for the M40.
Mandatory CAZs on the table as Welsh Govt cuts speed limits 26/04/2018 The Welsh Government has announced 50mph speed limits on five major roads as part of a package of measures that also raises the prospect of mandating councils to introduce clean air zones (CAZs).
Highways England uses VR to expose blind spots 26/04/2018 Highways England is using virtual reality to raise commercial drivers’ awareness of their blind spots – particularly those from abroad – and reduce the risk of incidents.
Welsh councils to receive £2.5m following Bellwin request 25/04/2018 Welsh councils will receive £2.5m government funding to offset costs incurred in dealing with the recent severe weather.
International line-up for Cold Comfort 2018 25/04/2018 A large delegation from Highways England will join other public sector representatives from across the British Isles and international experts in the field of winter maintenance at Cold Comfort 2018 next month.
'Action needed' on better links to ports 25/04/2018 Contractors have called for ministers to take action after an official report found that infrastructure investment and planning decisions need to take better account of road and rail connections to ports.
The road ahead: Getting investment right for our highways networks from 2020 24/04/2018 James Haluch, managing director of Highways at Amey, welcomes hypothecated revenue for roads but says that an immaculately maintained strategic road network alongside a mesh of crumbling local roads is not a coherent highways strategy.
On the move: Conren's website goes mobile 24/04/2018 Specialist resin manufacturer Conren Limited has launched its new website, which aims to improve access to product information for smartphone and tablet users.
More Carillion redundancies announced but 11,000 jobs now saved 24/04/2018 The total number of people made redundant through the liquidation of outsourcing and infrastructure giant Carillion has reached 2,221, although 11,093 jobs have been saved.
Welsh councils rush to spend highways windfall 24/04/2018 Welsh councils rushed to spend a £30m highways maintenance windfall before the end of the last financial year, prompting a call for future funding to be put on a more stable footing.
SMART Highways and Transport Network launch regular podcast series 24/04/2018 Following the success of its radio-style news programme podcasts from leading ITS and transport events around the world, SMART Highways and its sister publications are now beginning extra, regular programmes about the industry.
Highways England rejects accusations of 'industrial archaeology' at Stonehenge 24/04/2018 Highways England has denied risking archaeological deposits at Stonehenge by using a mechanical digger to excavate evaluation trenches in wet conditions.
Hardwired to cut accidents 24/04/2018 'Innovative' Vehicle Activated Signs from SWARCO are helping to reduce accidents at a notorious road junction in Derbyshire.
Half of drivers think speeding acceptable 24/04/2018 A new survey suggests that 20 million drivers in the UK believe it is acceptable to break the speed limit, with half of them admitting they don’t even realise they are doing
Senior figure calls for major shake-up on Scottish roads 23/04/2018 The Scottish Roads Collaboration Programme has helped oversee many changes to how roads are managed north of the border. Now its programme manager has his sights on potential national changes to governance and funding.
UK and Michigan to cooperate on transport tech 23/04/2018 The Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, has used a trip to London to sign a memorandum of understanding with the British Government to strengthen bilateral cooperation across their respective automotive and technology sectors.
Keynote speaker announced for Traffex Seeing is Believing 20/04/2018 Highways England’s Innovation and Continuous Improvement Director Paul Doney is taking the opportunity to address the highways industry’s leading thought leaders at this year’s Traffex Seeing is Believing on 27 June.
Highways England showcases innovations 19/04/2018 Highways England held an Innovation Day this week, demonstrating some of the transformational technology making a difference on the strategic road network.
London joint venture loses High Court battle with TfL 19/04/2018 A joint venture working under the London Highways Alliance Contract has lost a High Court battle with Transport for London over work rates.
Liverpool makes 'landmark investment' of £200m in roads 19/04/2018 Liverpool City Council is set to spend an additional £200m on road repairs to tackle the deteriorating quality of the highway network in the city.
Breedon reaches for materials heights with £455m Lagan acquisition 19/04/2018 Breedon has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Belfast-based construction materials business Lagan Group for £455m cash.
Council to use floating vehicle data in groundbreaking signal trial 19/04/2018 The city of York is set to launch a groundbreaking scheme to trial using data from vehicles for signal control to improve junction performance.
Should traffic volume help determine roads funding? Surrey renews calls after potholes double 19/04/2018 Pothole numbers in Surrey doubled this spring, jumping by more than 7,000 in February and March and prompting renewed calls for roads funding reforms.
Gully sensor tech 'requires significant refinement' 18/04/2018 Following a trial of sensors that can report when road gullies are getting blocked, a highway authority has said the technology will require further work before being widely used.
Balfour Beatty hails 'success' of fully open £205m Broadland Northway 18/04/2018 Contractor Balfour Beatty has hailed the ‘lasting legacy’ of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road, which is now fully open.
Pothole impact of Beast from the East 'still to be seen' 18/04/2018 The RAC has blamed the recent bad weather for a rise in the proportion of pothole-related breakdowns in the first three months of the year but warned that the full extent of the problem remains to be seen.
Lincolnshire seeks bids for £762m highway maintenance work 18/04/2018 Lincolnshire County Council is seeking contractors for highway maintenance work that could be worth £762m over 12 years.
Kier charity event raises £500,000 for the nation's future 17/04/2018 More than £500,000 was raised to help support the OnSide Youth Zones charity on Saturday at an event organised by Kier and supported by leading companies in the highways sector.
Now that's smart: Coupling innovation set to save £240k 17/04/2018 A manufacturer has given details of how its coupling innovation is set to save a Highways England Smart Motorway project nearly a quarter of a million pounds.
Potholes ‘cutting off’ rural communities, insurer warns 17/04/2018 An insurer has warned that the deteriorating rural road network is in danger of cutting off countryside communities.
Carillion redundancies to pass 2,000 this week 17/04/2018 A further 337 former employees of collapsed infrastructure and outsourcing giant Carillion will be made redundant this week.
Welsh council sets out plans for £100m road and rail scheme 17/04/2018 Two possible routes for a new road linking the M4 with the A48 and Cardiff Airport have been unveiled along with proposals for a new railway station and park and ride facility.
‘Globally unique’ electrified road breaks new ground 17/04/2018 A new electrified road in Sweden has just opened, which its creators say is the first road of its kind to allow both commercial and passenger vehicles to be recharged while driving.