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Minister approves Stockport's £43m integrated MRN scheme 01/12/2023 Stockport's A34 Corridor Improvement Scheme is the latest major road network project to get off the ground, with a full business case approved by roads minister Guy Opperman and work set to begin next February.
Government axes Brum's £2.7bn PFI deal in shock 'betrayal' 01/12/2023 Birmingham City Council's leader has accused the Government of 'betrayal' by axing the authority's £2.7bn highways Private Finance Initiative contract, in a move that could lose the authority more than £500m of roads investment.
Campaigners undaunted as Gove refuses call-in 01/12/2023 Campaigners have vowed to fight after levelling up secretary Michael Gove rejected calls for a public inquiry into the North West Relief Road in Shrewsbury.
Breheny steps up a gear with £45m works package 01/12/2023 Breheny Civil Engineering has bagged its biggest ever job with a £45m package of infrastructure work in Newark, including a new 2.2km Southern Link Road for developer Urban & Civic.
GRAHAM gets £87m East Yorkshire job 01/12/2023 East Riding of Yorkshire Council has appointed GRAHAM to carry out the £87m A164 and Jock’s Lodge Improvement Scheme.
Banwell Bypass - 100 years and nearly there 30/11/2023 North Somerset Council has tied contractor Alun Griffiths down to a price of £56.5m to deliver the delayed Banwell Bypass near Weston Super Mare.
Challenging year puts resilience top of the agenda in Scotland 30/11/2023 Scotland is ready for winter, the country’s transport minister has said, but she warned that recent weather events should serve as a warning to take action on climate change.
Contractors named on 'rebalanced' A9 dualling contract 30/11/2023 The shortlist of bidders for the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy project has been announced after a second round of procurement.
Transport minister Hyslop celebrates Road Expo success 30/11/2023 Scotland’s transport minister praised a bumper year at Road Expo as she opened the devolved nation's largest traffic and transport event with a keynote address.
Analysis: ADEPT chair sees new dawn for local roads 24/11/2023 Mark Stevens, assistant director, direct services at Haringey Council and chair of the ADEPT Engineering Board, considers how local highway authority officers will react to the £8.3bn for local highway maintenance. Gamechanger or spin?
Rees Jeffreys bursary programme returns 24/11/2023 The Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Trustees is once again running its Transport MSc Bursary programme for the academic year 2024-25, with up to eight £10,000 packages set to be awarded for the academic year.
Costain appoints new transportation MD 24/11/2023 Costain has snapped up Jonathan Willcock, former MD of Skanska UK’s Infrastructure Division, to become the managing director of its transportation division.
Street scene can be key in fight for healthy ageing 24/11/2023 A new study has highlighted the importance of good pavements and slower traffic in helping older people get outdoors more.
Road Safety Week: 'Put the Brakes on speed' 24/11/2023 Deaths and serious injuries caused by driver speed rose significantly last year, according to analysis of government road casualty data to mark Road Safety Week 2023.
M53 to get some concrete barrier in safety move 24/11/2023 A £7m programme of safety improvements along a section of the M53 in Cheshire starts this week.
A road ecosystem fit for the future 23/11/2023 Alex Smith, chief executive officer of Buchanan Computing, looks at the need to digitise the road network across the UK and the company’s work towards this.
Autumn Statement: Infrastructure sector left underwhelmed 22/11/2023 Despite its emphasis on infrastructure, engineering and technology, the chancellor's Autumn Statement left the civil engineering sector underwhelmed.
Autumn Statement goes to 'Devo 4' 22/11/2023 More powers will be offered to areas with a level 3 devolution deal, the Government has announced as part of the Autumn Statement.
Autumn Statement: Planning system to prioritise EV charging 22/11/2023 The Autumn Statement gave a major boost to the electric vehicle (EV) market with £2bn of investment and a pledge to reform the planning system to prioritise the roll-out of charge points.
Autumn Statement: Planning reforms to provide new 'premium services' 22/11/2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled planning reforms at both national and local levels in the Autumn Statement, with plans to let councils recover the full cost of planning applications, provided they meet prompt deadlines.
Scotland gears up to enforce pavement parking ban 22/11/2023 The Scottish Government has launched a public information campaign to make drivers aware they could be fined £100 for pavement parking from 11 December.
PRIME of place: Road Expo hosts mutiple award winning safety scheme 21/11/2023 Scotland's multi-award-winning PRIME road markings trial has one of the top billings at this year's Road Expo, with safety expert Professor Alex Stedmon discussing the concept.
Scotland's CAVForth awarded top marks 21/11/2023 The Project CAVForth autonomous bus has won the top prize at an awards ceremony for the self-driving vehicles industry.
Hitting the Road Expo 21/11/2023 Scotland’s number one traffic and transport show returns to the Glasgow SEC on 28-29 November, with an exceptional line-up including a keynote speech from minister for transport Fiona Hyslop.
National Highways to spend £75m on 'transformation and change' 17/11/2023 National Highways is seeking a partner 'to deliver transformation and change services in our business' for up to five years in a deal valued at £75m.
Milestone forms working group to share safety insights 17/11/2023 Milestone Infrastructure has formed its own Road Worker Safety Group, to share knowledge between the company’s various highway maintenance contracts.
DfT confirms £8.3bn local roads plan with new duties for councils 16/11/2023 Transport secretary Mark Harper has confirmed fresh details around the £8.3bn 11-year roads investment plan, set out in the wake of cuts to HS2, including new duties for councils.
ADEPT and Colas release guide to staff retention 16/11/2023 Council directors’ body ADEPT has published a new guide to help tackle the staff retention crisis in local authority place services.
£152m consultancy framework open to supplier bids 15/11/2023 A Yorkshire council is advertising for up to 100 suppliers of construction consultancy services to public and third sector organisations under a framework valued at a potential £152m.
No more (Lord in) waiting for Davies as Vere departs 15/11/2023 Lord Davies of Gower has been appointed as a junior minister in the Department for Transport, replacing long-serving minister Baroness Vere.
Bidding open on record signals cash - £70m to be allocated 14/11/2023 Bidding is open to English local authorities on funding pots worth tens of millions for traffic signals support, with guidance released on how to secure the cash.
Digital TROs included in Government's legal plans 14/11/2023 Local authorities will be required to send Traffic Regulation Orders to a central publication platform, under plans to digitise the process outlined in the King's Speech.
Self-driving car legislation to create regulatory framework 14/11/2023 Ministers have published an Automated Vehicles (AV) Bill which they said would deliver one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks in the world for self-driving vehicles, ‘with safety at its core’.
MJ Church and National Highways make light work of bridge load 14/11/2023 A £4.6m refurbishment of a bridge spanning the M5 is set to be completed a month ahead of schedule.
Norman and Holden leave DfT in reshuffle 14/11/2023 Ministers Jesse Norman and Richard Holden have left the Department for Transport as part of a cabinet reshuffle that began with the sacking of Suella Braverman as home secretary.
Precast concrete barriers help Midlands safety scheme open early 13/11/2023 Safety improvements at the M40/M42 interchange are due to be completed several months earlier than planned, National Highways has said.
Four projects enter final stage of National Highways' low carbon competition 13/11/2023 Plans for carbon-negative aggregate and smart fibre reinforced plastic bridge beams are among those in the final stage of National Highways' Accelerating Low Carbon Innovation competition.
Alarm over relief road 'threat to water supply' 13/11/2023 Campaigners have asked the Government's communities secretary to hold a public inquiry into plans for a £80m relief road in Shropshire.
RAC sees record third quarter 'pothole call-outs' 10/11/2023 The RAC has dealt with the highest number of pothole-related breakdowns seen in any third quarter since its records began in 2006.
Competition seeks to manage hazards better 09/11/2023 National Highways has launched a new innovation competition offering businesses with new ideas on how to manage hazards across its network up to £90,000 to develop their concepts.
Survey work to begin on Rest and Be Thankful 09/11/2023 Survey work begins next week to inform the design of the long-term solution for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.
DfT puts 'Project Speed' A66 scheme in slow lane 08/11/2023 Ministers have been ridiculed for delaying a planning decision on a £1.5bn road scheme in the North of England, which was hailed as part of the Government's ‘Project Speed’ initiative.
Nature gets £2m boost alongside A303 08/11/2023 National Highways is spending more than £2m to bring wildflowers to the verges of a stretch of the A303, as well as restoring a section of a nearby river.
Nine on 'flexible' Barnet highways framework 08/11/2023 Barnet Council has appointed nine contractors to a new four-year highway maintenance framework worth around £75m.
New barrier 'cuts carbon in half' 07/11/2023 Hardstaff Barriers has launched a precast concrete barrier which it said cuts carbon dioxide emissions by half compared to the standard product.
Charlie Cornish to chair Core 07/11/2023 Core Highways Group has appointed respected industry figures Charlie Cornish and Jenny Moten to its senior leadership.
King's Speech soft pedals on transport measures 07/11/2023 The Government will bring in an automated vehicles bill in the new parliamentary session and legislate to deal with unlicensed pedicabs, King Charles has announced in a King’s Speech that also included a pledge to publish a rail reform bill in draft form.
National Highways delivers social value on SRN 07/11/2023 National Highways has published a new report highlighting the work to support communities alongside its network.
Analysis: Ageing assets – considering the carbon, cost and customer 06/11/2023 Alistair Hunter, Highways Leader UKIMEA, Arup, discusses the complex issue of upgrading ageing assets and how this challenge must be used to build a more sustainable future.
CECA opinion: We need politics to be more strategic in infrastructure 06/11/2023 Marie-Claude Hemming, director of operations at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, discusses the organisation's plans after a turbulent year in politics.
Active travel progress 'disappointingly slow' 03/11/2023 The Government is not on track to meet its active travel targets, with funding uncertainty hampering councils’ efforts, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said.
Historic bridge re-opens despite new defect 02/11/2023 A historic bridge in Gloucester is set to re-open to vehicles on Friday following two months of work to repair crash damage.
Major road network set for £2.6bn second funding round 01/11/2023 A promised £2.6bn for local road upgrades will be in the form of a second round of major road network (MRN) funding, it has emerged.
DfT teases more detail on multi-billion roads spending plans 01/11/2023 The £8.3bn of ‘additional’ highway maintenance funding pledged to councils from the curtailment of HS2 will begin during this financial year and be spread over 11 years, while a separate £4.7bn boost for local transport in the North and Midlands will be spread over seven years.
ADEPT and FHRG unveil major milestone in highways carbon calculation 01/11/2023 New guidance has been launched for highway authorities on calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including Scope 3 emissions, in what has been hailed as a major milestone towards a much-needed standardisation.
Tarmac pilots 80% carbon cut to achieve 'lowest levels ever' 31/10/2023 Three local roads in the North East have become the lowest carbon highways ever to be resurfaced in the UK, Tarmac has said.
Glasgow clean air bid gets all clear 31/10/2023 A legal challenge to Glasgow's Low Emission Zone from a local business has failed.
Khan hails ULEZ compliance as revenue doubles 31/10/2023 London mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed new data showing that compliance rates in the new outer London part of the Ultra Low Emission Zone have nearly caught up with those in inner London.
Gilbert 'to drive customer-centric culture' at Amey 30/10/2023 Amey has appointed Danny Gilbert as transportation strategy director, with responsibility for long-term strategic growth across its Transport Infrastructure business unit.
Khan puts £10m into street works co-ordination 30/10/2023 Sadiq Khan has announced a further £10m for his Infrastructure Coordination Service, which aims to reduce the delays caused by roadworks in the capital.
AA seeks new pothole cash as councils face cut 30/10/2023 Councils ‘desperately need’ more highway maintenance funding to address the deteriorating condition of local roads, the AA has said after its worst September fixing ‘pothole-related’ breakdowns for five years.
Costain named strategic partner on Bradford's £250m investment plan 30/10/2023 Costain has been reappointed as Bradford Council’s strategic delivery partner, in a contract worth up to £5m with an initial run of two years.
Councils await clarity on top-up cash for major schemes 27/10/2023 A number of major local road schemes are hanging in the balance while authorities are left unsure if ministers will stump up the extra cash pledged in the wake of cutting back HS2.
MPs warn new networks statement 'won't stop climate legal challenges' 26/10/2023 MPs have warned that the Government's proposed new national policy statement for road and rail infrastructure will not solve the issues around legal challenges on climate grounds.
New portable traffic signals guidance released 26/10/2023 The Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management has announced the release of the first edition of Guidance for the Use of Portable Traffic Signals.
Air quality rules continue to trouble Bath area 26/10/2023 A highway authority that had ‘officially passed a government milestone’ for cleaning up toxic air, breached legal limits as traffic returned after the pandemic, according to recent data.
SRN sees new weather stations moving in 26/10/2023 National Highways is to spend £15.4m on a new network of weather stations and supporting infrastructure that will provide real-time data on road conditions.
'Growing and essential' - DfT strengthens maintenance focus 25/10/2023 The Department for Transport (DfT) has suggested that maintenance and renewals will be a ‘growing and essential element’ of the 2025-30 Road Investment Strategy (RIS).
Kier wins £225m Somerset 'refresh' deal 25/10/2023 Kier Transportation is set to replace Milestone Infrastructure as Somerset Council’s highways term maintenance contractor in an eight-year deal valued at £225m.
Homes England to pay £17m BIL for A34 scheme 23/10/2023 Oxfordshire scheme is one of the first to be awarded grant funding through the Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) Fund.
Dalkia extension will see major Welsh contract through to the end 23/10/2023 Dalkia's contract with North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA) has now been extended for a second time to the maximum permitted five years, seeing it through until May 2025.
Elderkin calls for more green bridges across SRN 23/10/2023 National Highways’ top environment official has called for a 'green bridges' national plan to address severance issues and provide mitigation on new road schemes.
National Highways in discussions with DfT over key safety target 23/10/2023 A top National Highways official has said there are ongoing discussions with the Government over how National Highways can achieve zero harm on its network by 2040.
Show us the money, LGA says after pothole poll 20/10/2023 Half of drivers say the state of local roads is their top motoring concern – a record high since the RAC began asking for motorists' views on road conditions.
Controversial Oxford LTNs made permanent 19/10/2023 Three low traffic neighbourhoods in Oxford are to become permanent, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet decided this week.
Holden declares war on causes of potholes 19/10/2023 Roads minister Richard Holden has promised to chase down every local authority without a lane rental scheme, as part of a ‘war’ on potholes and those who cause them.
NIC calls for traffic curbs and mass transit boost 19/10/2023 The Government’s infrastructure advisers have called for measures to reduce traffic in cities, including congestion charging and workplace parking levies, but warned that they should not be put in place until there is a viable public transport alternative.
Grasslands to get £8m National Highways boost 17/10/2023 National Highways and conservation charity Plantlife have joined forces to launch an £8m programme that aims to improve species and habitats across England.
Beam me up? Vaisala learns from life on Mars 17/10/2023 Vaisala has launched its new Beam Weather Station BWS500, described as a compact weather station for hyperlocal road and environmental insights.
ORR changes tune on whole-life asset management 17/10/2023 National Highways’ performance against its key performance indicator for pavement condition varies across its regions, despite meeting the target, its monitor has said.
Councils' parking revenue approaches £1bn 17/10/2023 The income that councils raked in from parking surged to almost £1bn in the last financial year.
Crowning achievement boosts A1 safety 17/10/2023 National Highways has hailed what it says is an inventive approach to tackling surface water on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire.
Norfolk wins £213m for new road scheme 16/10/2023 Norfolk County Council has welcomed what it says is a Government commitment of more than £200m for a new link road, but exactly how much money it will receive – and when – remain unclear.
Bus companies brand Oxford LTNs a ‘failure’ 16/10/2023 Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Oxford have ‘made congestion worse’ and delayed bus services, operators have argued ahead of a crunch decision on the future of the schemes.
Costain aims for repeat performance on A40 job 16/10/2023 Costain will start construction in the New Year on an estimated £50m scheme to design and build the second phase of a package of improvements to the A40 in West London.
Establishing a new legacy 13/10/2023 Dominic Browne reports on the work that National Highways, KOREC and AECOM have done to create an end-to-end digital system through the concrete roads programme.
IHE announces inflation-busting support for members 12/10/2023 The Institute of Highway Engineers has announced a £10 discount for all fee-paying members for 2024, following a year-on-year increase in revenue.
Boroughs get opt out from future traffic schemes 12/10/2023 Legislation that will enable London boroughs to opt out of future road charging schemes has been welcomed as ‘an enormous step forwards in local democracy’.
Highways Awards 2023 winners announced 12/10/2023 Durham County Council employees scooped prizes at both ends of the evening – and their career paths – at the 20th Anniversary Highways Awards.
Council caves in as drivers ignore traffic ban 11/10/2023 A Norfolk County Council cabinet member has unilaterally decided to scrap a ban on cars using a street in the centre of Norwich, largely on the grounds that large numbers of drivers were ignoring the restriction.
Multevo provides new 'agile' approach for Amey and National Highways 11/10/2023 National Highways and contractor partners Amey and Multevo have successfully trialled a new 'agile approach' to works processing in Area 7, creating efficiencies by integrating ‘corrective’ patching into planned works.
Labour 'to put communities in the driving seat' 10/10/2023 Labour's shadow transport secretary has pledged to nationalise the railways as she set out a transport plan focused on supporting drivers, passengers and communities with more consumer protections, public ownership and devolution.
Starmer backs roads and houses to 'get Britain building again' 10/10/2023 Labour leader Keir Starmer has pledged to 'get Britain building again' by supporting new roads and infrastructure through planning sector reforms.
£8.3bn roads cash to cover 10 years 10/10/2023 Reports suggest that a series of local roads maintenance cash pots totalling £8.3bn for English regions, announced in the wake of the cancellation of HS2’s Manchester leg, will cover the next 10 years.
Battle over bridge infill set for Planning Inspectorate showdown 10/10/2023 National Highways has said it is planning to appeal a local decision that could force the road operator to reverse another infill from a bridge on its Historical Railways Estate (HRE).
First look at highway condition categories under new monitoring standard 10/10/2023 The Department for Transport has unveiled the road condition categories set to be brought in under a new condition monitoring standard due out next year.
Comment: LTNs must account for people's complex lives 10/10/2023 Jodi Savickas and Rachel Hiorns, placemaking and sustainable transport specialists at AtkinsRéalis, argue that there is a way forward for low traffic neighbourhoods, but that community buy-in will be crucial for schemes to work.
Beam lift causes A3 weekend closure 09/10/2023 National Highways will carry out a ‘delicate and challenging’ operation to lift giant beams into place on a bridge across the A3 in Surrey this weekend, with a full closure of a section of the strategic road from Friday evening until Monday morning.
£1.3bn local road upgrade pledge unravels 09/10/2023 Doubts have arisen over the Government's pledge that it will deliver 70 local authority road schemes after the Department for Transport declined to confirm that it had the cash to fund the schemes and the Treasury said it could not commit to continuing the National Roads Fund beyond 2025.
Exclusive: End of an era as DfT drops self-assessment process 09/10/2023 The Department for Transport has ended the highways self-assessment process, removing the incentive element of local maintenance capital funding in its current form, Highways understands.

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