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RAC Foundation: Risk-based approach sees pothole responses vary 17/01/2019 A nationwide survey has highlighted significantly different response times by councils when it comes to filling in the most severe potholes, with three quarters adopting a risk-based approach.
Product Focus: At the cutting edge 17/01/2019 UK-based agricultural machinery firm McConnel has unveiled a range of new products and Power Arm enhancements.
The ground beneath your feet and the sky above your head 17/01/2019 Jon Hart of award-winning law firm Pinsent Masons LLP takes a look at a recent UK Supreme Court decision on the common law definition of ‘highway’, the meaning of ‘two spits’ and what this might mean for transport authorities and developers.
Newham reeling from £9m overspend and allegations of fraud 17/01/2019 Newham Council has vowed to improve its financial management after a £9m overspend on its arms-length highways maintenance service.
Hydrogen fuel cell used to CH2ARGE electric car 17/01/2019 Alkaline fuel cell power company AFC Energy has announced the successful deployment of what it says is the world’s first Electric Vehicle Fuel Cell (EVFC) charger based on hydrogen fuel-cell technology.
Cameras to enforce Rotherhithe Tunnel size limits 16/01/2019 Transport for London (TfL) is bringing in new cameras in the Rotherhithe Tunnel to enforce safety restrictions and deter oversized vehicles from using the route.
Fox plans new support and investment for SMEs 16/01/2019 The international business secretary Dr Liam Fox is planning a new way to bring investment into Britain, and to change the way his department helps the country’s innovative SMEs to win more business around the world.
Ringway secures £10m contract extension in Bracknell Forest 16/01/2019 Ringway has been awarded an extension to its highway term services contract with Bracknell Forest Council, five years ahead of time.
Welsh Government signs up to Elgin 16/01/2019 The Welsh Government has adopted the Elgin roadworks pro traffic disruptions product, designed to improve planning, monitoring and communication of road and street works across the country.
Carillion: A reminder of how and why a giant fell 15/01/2019 Carillion's collapse led to the largest ever trading liquidation in UK history. We give a quick recap on the what, how and why behind it.
Carillion: A year on, what has changed? 15/01/2019 It has been a year since the collapse of Carillion and, according to Unite, the sector is still waiting for the reforms it needs.
Scotland catches up with zero tolerance drug driving law 15/01/2019 The Scottish Government has announced a zero tolerance approach for people caught driving with illegal drugs in their system.
Van growth poses toxic problem for Government 15/01/2019 Traffic levels in Great Britain remain stable, according to the latest statistics, with the continued growth of van and lorry traffic compensating for a slight fall in car use.
Whitehall launches ‘ambitious’ clean air strategy 14/01/2019 The Government’s new clean air strategy aims to cut the costs of air pollution to society by nearly £2bn every year by 2020, although critics have warned that it lacks detail.
London's Illuminated River project to be 'longest public art commission in the world' 14/01/2019 FM Conway has secured the first phase of the Illuminated River project, which once completed will span 4.5 nautical miles of the River Thames and be the longest public art commission in the world.
Attorney General backs mother over girl's pollution-linked death 11/01/2019 The Attorney General has cleared the way for a new inquest in the case of a nine-year-old girl whose death has been linked to illegal levels of air pollution.
Stewart is the new queen at Atkins 10/01/2019 Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has appointed Lizi Stewart as managing director of its UK and Europe transportation division.
Clarke and Tarrant take the reins at Rees Jeffreys Road Fund 10/01/2019 David Tarrant will succeed David Hutchinson as chairman of Rees Jeffreys Road Fund after the Trustee meeting on 5 February, the leading roads charity has announced.
Get smarter or Talkin’ bout a (quiet) revolution 10/01/2019 Local authorities must use their role as convenors of place to drive collaboration and fairness in how we fund, site and deploy infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, writes Localis’s Joe Fyans.
Transforming tech from CES on Talking Transport 10/01/2019 The Future of Technology has been on show in Las Vegas, and SMART Highways has been there to see what it means for the ITS
Jaguar Land Rover to cut 5,000 jobs 10/01/2019 Diesel, Brexit, and a sales slump in China, mean Jaguar Land Rover is set to cut £2.5bn in costs.
Think tank calls for ‘major rethink’ of electric vehicles roll-out 10/01/2019 The roll-out of infrastructure for electric vehicles risks exacerbating the divide between rich and poor, creating ‘a tale of two cities’ in urban centres, a think tank has warned.
No consequences for councils as they miss pollution deadlines 10/01/2019 Ministers have given two key cities more time to draw up plans to tackle air pollution from road vehicles, despite warnings of ‘serious consequences’ after both missed earlier deadlines.
Vattenfall gets the wind in its sails with new EV charging deal 10/01/2019 Swedish Energy firm Vattenfall has won a tender from Canterbury City Council to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, using power Vattenfall says is sourced from British wind farms.
Minister dreams of robotic pipe fix 09/01/2019 Four universities are to share £7m in government cash to develop micro robots that could repair cracks in pipes, with the aim of cutting roadworks and improving worker safety.
Staffs invests in spreaders as Beast from the East set to return 09/01/2019 Staffordshire County Council has invested in nine new spreaders as the coldest weather of the season is predicted to be just around the corner.
Comment: Cheques and balances – why we need proper funding for bridge inspections 07/01/2019 Following the RAC Foundation and ADEPT's annual bridge maintenance survey, Kevin Dentith, chair of the ADEPT Bridges Group, discusses the importance of bridge management and how local authorities can use capital funding for key high-level inspections.
Bridge maintenance backlog hits almost £7bn 07/01/2019 The one-off cost of clearing the total maintenance backlog for council-managed road bridges in Great Britain has hit £6.7bn, according to the annual RAC Foundation and ADEPT survey.
Council delays works ahead of £15m dualling scheme 04/01/2019 West Sussex County Council has had to postpone preparatory work on a £15m dualling scheme as it awaits the contractor’s revised cost estimate.
North East Lincolnshire Council awards £8m link road contract 03/01/2019 North East Lincolnshire Council has appointed Colas Siac to construct an £8m link road.
Highways England takes financial hit on Severn bridges 03/01/2019 Highways England has suffered a hit to its finances of around £45m after responsibility for the Severn Crossings was transferred to it without additional funding, Highways has learned.
Highways England volunteers apply Christmas decoration to hidden gem 03/01/2019 In the run-up to Christmas, a team of Highways England volunteer Mental Health First Aiders swapped their desks for paintbrushes to spruce up a local community resource.
Gove proposes consultation requirement for street tree felling 03/01/2019 Councils would be required to consult residents before cutting down trees in urban areas under Government plans.
Consultants scoop £5m contract for Scotland's national transport plans 03/01/2019 Transport Scotland has awarded the contract to support the second Strategic Transports Projects Review (STPR2) to a combined team of Jacobs and Aecom.
WSP to produce 2050 transport strategy for the South East 03/01/2019 WSP has been appointed by Transport for the South East (TfSE) to develop a new transport strategy that will help unlock growth in the South East.
Hacked off by Appendix H? Help is coming 02/01/2019 Chris Cranston, chair of the National Winter Service Research Group (NWSRG) discusses the guidance we love to hate and where winter service is going next.
ADEPT Conference: Making ADEPT adapt 02/01/2019 The 2018 ADEPT conference took place late last year under the theme Shaping Places for Thriving Communities with top speakers from the heart of government, including roads minister Jesse Norman.
Rennicks - Powering the future 02/01/2019 Rennicks explains to Highways how 10 years from now we will see the broadening of a new dawn in the world of road transport and traffic management. But how will it all be powered you ask?
Traffex 2019 - the trading floor of transport 02/01/2019 The UK's largest traffic and transport conference and exhibition is back and it's bigger and better than ever.
New Year's Honours for transport in full 02/01/2019 The New Year's Honours this year celebrated some of the top names in the sector including key figures at the Department for Transport and Transport for London.
2018: A bumpy ride, but reasons to celebrate 21/12/2018 From downs to ups, 2018 has proven to be a volatile year while also paving the way for major change and progress in a sector balanced between triumph and tribulation. Dominic Browne writes
Winter service heavyweights team up for research framework 20/12/2018 The two top winter service research groups are teaming up to carry out studies into future resilience in the face of climate change.
£500k up for grabs in local transport data competition 20/12/2018 The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a £500,000 competition focused on opening up local authority parking and traffic management data.
New membership for leading traffic management group 20/12/2018 The Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management (ARTSM) has added two new classes of membership, as part of efforts to raise the influence of the group and support the wider sector.
Mace appoints AECOM's Sean Gray as new director 20/12/2018 Construction and consultancy firm Mace has appointed former AECOM boss Sean Gray (pictured) as its new director of transportation.
BSI releases cyber security standard for self-driving vehicles 20/12/2018 The British Standards Institute has published a new cyber security standard, designed to set a marker for those developing self-driving car technology.
DfT considers EU's offer, as no deal fears grow 20/12/2018 The Department for Transport is considering proposals from the EU Commission to ensure transport to and from the continent does not shut down in the event of a no deal Brexit.
Kier rights issue falters despite strong growth 20/12/2018 Kier's £250m rights issue has had a slow take-up with less than 40% of shareholders acting on the chance for cut price equity.
Highways England rebuffs Khan's attempt to raid pollution fund 18/12/2018 Highways England has insisted that it is not underspending its designated fund for air quality after London mayor Sadiq Khan suggested that cash from the fund could help expand his planned £23m scrappage scheme.
Watch this space: DfT tweaks MRN 18/12/2018 The Government has published its long-awaited revised plans for the major road network (MRN) of key local authority roads, including amended criteria for inclusion in the network and a reduced role for Highways England.
VolkerHighways takes historical interest with £70m Bath deal 18/12/2018 VolkerHighways is set to deploy the latest technologies on a new highway maintenance and improvements contract with Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council worth up to £70m over 10 years.
Severn crossings now toll free 17/12/2018 The charges to use the Severn crossings between England and Wales have been removed with both bridges toll-free for the first time since the original crossing opened 52 years ago.
SMART Highways editor explains smart motorways on BBC radio 16/12/2018 SMART Highways editor Paul Hutton has explained some of the technology behind all lane running smart motorways on a BBC Radio Five Live programme examining their safety.
ORR 'disappointed' with Highways England safety data delay 13/12/2018 The national roads watchdog has challenged Highways England over its failure to publish long-awaited data on the safety of the strategic road network, Highways has learned.
TfL has no solution to unsustainable lack of roads funding 13/12/2018 Transport for London has admitted that its funding system for roads is unsustainable and it has no long-term solution.
Amey set to go private, report says 13/12/2018 Roads and services contractor Amey is set to be sold to a private equity firm in the New Year, it has been reported.
Highways England releases £7bn smart motorways tender 12/12/2018 Highways England has launched the procurement process for a smart motorways alliance with an estimated value of £7bn, over a 10 year period.
Native Edwards returns to lead Aggregate Industries UK 12/12/2018 Aggregate Industries UK has announced that Guy Edwards will take over as its CEO from January.
Highways England hosts public sector safety summit 11/12/2018 Highways England has announced plans for a road safety summit at the House of Commons.
Comment: CAVs are nearer than you think 11/12/2018 Paul Rose, technical director for Amey Consulting, makes a bold prediction: the mass-market adoption of self-driving cars will arrive on UK streets many, many years before we are persuaded in significant numbers into electric vehicles...told you it was bold.
The traffic light's 150th: TfL changes in favour of pedestrians 11/12/2018 Transport for London (TfL) is marking the 150th anniversary of the world's first traffic light by highlighting how it makes signal controlled crossings better for pedestrians.
DfT investigates the future of Traffic Regulations Orders 11/12/2018 The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation on the future of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), which determine how councils create speed limits, allow temporary road closures or restrict parking.
Plane sailing for Connor Construction's expansion 10/12/2018 Highways hears from Connor Construction (South West) Ltd, which is probably best known as a surfacing specialist, but over the past two years has been bringing together a team of top road planing talent.
Interserve wins £25m public contract, despite financial woes 10/12/2018 Infrastructure and services firm Interserve has seen its stock market value plummet after announcing a recovery plan that would seek to pay its debts by issuing new shares.
Case study: All routes lead to safety 10/12/2018 A £7.5m junction project by South Tyneside Council has delivered a 36% reduction in casualties since it opened in July last year as well as improving flood resilience and journey times, reliability and queue lengths - David Pringle, project manager at South Tyneside Council, explains how.
Research finds historic eco alternative for bridge maintenance 10/12/2018 New research has found that a natural oil used for hundreds of years by blacksmiths to protect swords and other metalwork could be used to replace toxic paints in maintaining historic metal bridges.
Norman spreads the word on council salt stocks 07/12/2018 Roads minister Jesse Norman has warned against complacency in managing winter salt stocks, telling councils that his officials will be keeping a close eye on them.
2019 Street Design Awards launched 07/12/2018 The Street Design Awards, celebrating innovation and best practice in street design schemes across the UK, have been relaunched by Local Government News magazine.
Govt accused of failing on road safety in £75m row 06/12/2018 Labour’s shadow roads minister has accused the Government of a record of failure on road safety in the ongoing row over the unspent £75m for improvements to local roads.
New app launched to support construction workers' mental health 06/12/2018 A new app has been developed to provide life-saving support to construction workers and tackle the shocking levels of suicide in the industry.
Major section of Aberdeen bypass finally to open 06/12/2018 Scottish transport secretary Michael Matheson has 'expressed delight' that a significant section of the long-delayed Aberdeen bypass project is set to be opened next week.
Highways Awards on The One Show 06/12/2018 Stars of the highways sector have become stars of the small screen as well, with a featured appearance on the BBC's The One Show.
Highways England denies Stonehenge drilling blunder 06/12/2018 Highways England has been accused of drilling a large hole through a 6,000-year-old structure near Stonehenge as part of site preparation for its £1.6bn tunnel project.
Comment: The Inclusive Transport Strategy and shared space 06/12/2018 Chris Berry, associate transport engineer at M-EC, gives his view on the future of inclusive transport and public realm.
Highways needs reforms in law, finance and structure, MPs told 06/12/2018 Influential MPs have been told the local highways network needs around five times more funding than it receives every year, while key legislation needs to be reformed and skills levels are at an all time low.
Tunnel Vision: New research highlights road users' concerns 06/12/2018 As Highways England prepares for several major tunnelling projects, it has teamed up with watchdog Transport Focus for some timely insight into road user concerns around these key assets.
Govt gets (virtually) real with £72m construction tech hub 04/12/2018 Ministers have announced a new £72m innovation hub to back their call for new techniques to be used in the construction industry.
Defra backs Nottingham pollution plan but warns tardy councils 04/12/2018 Ministers have approved Nottingham City Council’s new plan to tackle air pollution in the city centre but other key councils have missed the latest Government deadline.
Talking Transport from Gulf Traffic in Dubai online now 04/12/2018 From the sunshine of Dubai, SMART Highways editor Paul Hutton brings you the final Talking Transport podcasts of 2018, reporting from Gulf Traffic.
West Mids GLOSA system 'could be crucial for CAVs' 03/12/2018 A green light optimal speed advisory (GLOSA) system being trialled in the West Midlands has won a national ITS award. The system, which was installed
Kier launches £264m rights issue as construction lending stalls 03/12/2018 Kier Group plc has announced a rights issue aimed at raising approximately £264m as it seeks to clear its debt in the face of market reluctance to lend to the construction sector.
Amey goes up for sale 03/12/2018 UK roads and services contractor Amey is being put up for sale as parent company Ferrovial, the Spanish infrastructure group that is also a part owner of Heathrow, is looking to sell its global support services division.
TRL aims to be zero hero with HGV emissions research 30/11/2018 Transport research centre TRL has been commissioned by Highways England and the Department for Transport to identify and appraise zero emission HGV technologies.
Cambridge University working on self-healing concrete 30/11/2018 Researchers at the University of Cambridge are working on a self-healing concrete project.
Designer sign - DfT employs Saatchi to create new Clean Air Zone sign 29/11/2018 The new signage (pictured below) that will be employed to warn drivers they are entering a Clean Air Zone has been designed by high end creative agency M&C Saatchi Worldwide.
First full Traffic Signs Manual chapters published 29/11/2018 The first full chapters of the long-awaited Traffic Signs Manual (TSM) have been published.
RSMA award winners revealed 29/11/2018 The Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) annual awards ceremony this November recognised outstanding achievements across a range of areas. Here’s a full list of the winners:
Disabled road users need change, watchdog says 29/11/2018 The transport watchdog has called on Highways England and others to do more to meet the needs of people with disabilities using the road network.
Amey wins two-year extension in Kent 28/11/2018 Amey has secured a two-year contract extension with Kent County Council to maintain their highways portfolio until 2020.
Frameworks failing to deliver, CECA says 28/11/2018 Too many frameworks are putting firms through unnecessary extra bids but failing to deliver the expected work, civils contractors have said.
How GRAHAM changed the game on health and wellbeing 27/11/2018 GRAHAM Construction's staff health and wellbeing initiative, known as Connect Plus, has been awarded a major grant from government to help its implementation throughout the company.
CIHT president calls for mandatory cut in highway authorities 27/11/2018
RAC Foundation making progress on collision investigation branch 27/11/2018 The RAC Foundation is making progress on the Department for Transport sponsored Road Collision Investigation Project, with the police forces involved, and their allocations from the £480,000 government grant, due to be finalised in early 2019.
Dying for capital spending: Local road safety on the ropes 27/11/2018 The head of the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) has raised concerns about the state of local road safety engineering in the UK, suggesting the necessary skills and finance are simply dying out.
RSMA plans first road trial for a decade in 2019 27/11/2018 Momentum is gathering behind a Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) initiative to facilitate its first UK road trial for 10 years; however time is tight to meet a planned July 2019 start date.
O'Sullivan pledges more automation as Govt launches £600bn pipeline 27/11/2018 Highways England’s chief executive has pledged to increase its use of automation and off-site construction during the next road investment period as ministers published a £600bn pipeline of infrastructure spending.
Norman in a tangle on 'agenda-setting' safety cash 26/11/2018 The roads sector has been left wondering where £75m originally allocated to the Government's Safer Roads Fund will be spent, after the minister said the fund had 'done its job'.
Final MRN stuck in gridlock, DfT says 26/11/2018 Publication of the definitive major road network is imminent but stuck in a queue of government announcements, a senior Department for Transport official has said.
MPs back parking ticket appeals reform 26/11/2018 The Government has backed a ‘one-stop shop’ for appeals for private parking fines, with the legislation approved by MPs.
Councils 'rise to the challenge' with 1.4 million tonnes of salt 26/11/2018 Councils have 1.4 million tonnes of salt stockpiled in preparation for winter, and have an average of nine full-size gritters each, a new survey has revealed.

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