As an on-stage host, NHT Network chair and UKRLG member Jon Munslow had the best seat in the house at Traffex this year, but he also found time to visit the exhibition and report on the latest innovations from this exciting conference
Once again, the Traffex conference in May was vibrant and engaging. Co-located with Parkex, Cold Comfort, and associated smaller events, including an increasingly popular electric vehicles theatre, Traffex brings together varied elements of the highways sector that seldom spend much time together in the office. For any delegate, regardless of primary focus, it opens you up to aspects of the wider highways services that are not only interesting but also affect or are affected by what you do.
Exploring the extensive exhibition of the latest technology, a few highlights stood out: the rapid development of technology around data management intelligence was obvious, whether asset management from businesses like Causeway Technology or emerging AI-powered modal recognition in traffic signals from The Traffic Group.
The AI revolution
Traffex demonstrated that we are very much into the implementation phase of AI. Indeed, based on this evidence, AI seems to already be adding to and reshaping everything we do and a key issue for every aspect of our sector is how it will adapt. Having moved beyond understanding, the industry is now getting to grips with it and deploying experimental pilots.
In ANPR and vehicle monitoring, AI is enabling multimodal tracking, supporting improved compliance and, importantly, road safety. For traffic signals, AI is supporting better traffic flow through dynamic signal control, enabling agile management to move us to a constantly optimised flow, which also supports better air quality from reduced congestion and idling traffic.
In road asset management and maintenance, machine-learning is being used to process historic road wear patterns, weather data, and routine road condition survey information. This could drive a far better approach to dealing with defects. Instead of reacting to defects, local councils can use AI to predict where a road surface is most vulnerable to failing next. The Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) address how this predictive modelling can support a transition to more preventative maintenance.
The need to change the local road sector's maintenance strategy away from a heavy focus on A roads combined with reactive maintenance on the unclassified road network was featured in presentations in the Roadmap Theatre. The cost, carbon and public evidence gathered by the NHT Network clearly shows that we need to put more into the unclassified road network if we are to reduce future carbon emissions, reduce future defects and the associated revenue finance demands.
The NHT Public Satisfaction Survey data also shows that unclassified road maintenance is key to improving public satisfaction. It makes sense as most of us live on and use the unclassified network every day. We don't need AI to tell us that, but AI is key to unlocking the solutions we need.
Nick Smee of Causeway Technologies presented on how leveraging asset intelligence supports better day-to-day maintenance decisions and improved information across the organisation, delivery partners and to the public.
Learning and improving
Another highlight from the conference agenda was the learning coming out of the ADEPT Live Labs 2 programme, which has been allocated an extra budget for this, its fourth and final year, specifically to promote and raise awareness around its achievements.
A Roadmap Theatre panel featuring local authority Live Labs alumni Karl Rourke and Fiona Horgan explored how street lighting is evolving beyond a simple focus on LED replacement and dimming. The discussion centred on how lighting can support both decarbonisation and network resilience. In urban areas this includes making better use of intelligent, connected assets through central management systems and improved asset intelligence. In rural areas it means considering alternative approaches such as solar-powered and off-grid solutions that reduce energy demand and improve resilience during disruption.
The panel also challenged us to think differently about traditional lighting standards and to focus on whole-life carbon, operational efficiency and long-term value.
The message was clear: street lighting is no longer simply a utility service. It is becoming an increasingly important part of creating resilient, sustainable and adaptable highway networks.
The resilience of happiness
The best part of Traffex this year is that it included wellbeing and mental health. We are an industry that focuses on assets, on stuff basically. While that is obviously what we manage, maintain and improve, we are also a people industry. Nothing happens without all of us. And we often forget that if infrastructure is to be resilient and well maintained, then so must we.
To that end, did you know that around £4,500 per year per employee is lost to poor mental health in our sector?
Traffex saw the launch of the Highways Mind Health Association (HMHA) to help tackle this issue.
Sam Munslow (my beautiful wife and Highways columnist) is leading the association and used the Traffex Solutions Studio to discuss improving mental health for all of us. The HMHA is dedicated to supporting better mental health for everyone and every organisation that is involved in the UK's roads. We look after the roads that enable daily life, business and community. HMHA is there when we need to look after ourselves.
You can find help at www.hmha.uk
