The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that it will extend the ADEPT Live Labs 2 highways innovation programme for another year, providing a total of £300,000 to support communications and for sharing best practice from the projects over 2026-2027.

ADEPT's Live Labs 2: Decarbonising Local Roads in the UK is a UK-wide £30m programme funded by the DfT.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander told Parliament that the extension was to 'enable further uptake of the programme's findings', which have focused on decarbonising the local highways infrastructure network.

DfT officials announced that under the extension, the Government will also provide a total of £300,000 to 'help councils access and adopt more innovative approaches to maintenance, including uptake of longer-lasting, low-carbon materials for repairing roads faster, more efficiently and far less often'.

'These materials can unlock savings for the taxpayer, lower emissions and reduce disruptive roadworks long-term to keep drivers moving.'

Council directors' body ADEPT is responsible for running the Live Labs programme.

In a press statement, ADEPT said: 'The extension will enable the Live Labs 2 programme to deliver a comprehensive Year 4 programme of communications and dissemination with a view to scaling and adoption by the sector; ensuring that the insights, evidence and innovations generated by the seven Live Labs 2 projects are shared widely across the sector.'

The Live Labs projects themselves will finish on 31 March 2026, with the exception of the Devon Live Lab, which received a year's extension due to delays.

Angela Jones, President of ADEPT, said: 'This is a huge acknowledgement and an encouraging boost to the groundbreaking work being undertaken by each of the projects, supported by the independent Commissioning Board.

'One of the guiding principles of the Live Labs 2 programme has been that the information and resources generated by the seven participating projects will be widely shared and communicated across the sector.

'The extension of the programme for another year will focus on sharing best practice, ensuring that the insights and innovations developed through the programme are communicated across the sector to accelerate the adoption of new solutions to establish new ways of working. This includes the uptake of longer-lasting, low carbon materials allowing LHAs to repair roads more quickly and efficiently and far less often.'

The seven Live Labs 2 projects are:

  •  Devon County Council: A382 (including Jetty Marsh Link Road) – Carbon Negative Project
  • East Riding of Yorkshire Council: High visual efficiency for low carbon lighting – decarbonising street lighting
  • Liverpool City Council: ‘Ecosystem of Things' driving a low-carbon economy
  • North Lanarkshire Council: UK Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads – North Campus
  • Transport for West Midlands: UK Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads – South Campus
  • South Gloucestershire Council and West Sussex County Council: Greenprint
  • Wessex Partnership: Net Zero Corridors

For more information on the ADEPT Live Labs 2 programme click here.