There’s less than a week left to register for LCRIG’s next webinar which will feature a discussion around the digital challenge facing local highway authorities. 

Delivered in association with Fitzpatrick Advisory, the event, which is taking place next Tuesday (20 April) at 2pm, is entitled ‘Digital revolution without casualties’ and will examine the following:

• How change will impact traditional highways maintenance approaches 
• Local highways authorities being able to do more with what they’ve already got 
• Technological advances (including data aggregation and impact of connected vehicles) 
• Overcoming cultural challenges (siloed disciplines, challenges for procurement, etc) and; 
• Reaping measurable benefits and positive outcomes (societal, air quality, safe mobility) 

You can register for the event here. It features a fantastic panel of speakers including:

• Brian Fitzpatrick – owner of Fitzpatrick Advisory 
• Isabel Dedring, Global Transport Lead for Arup, former Deputy Mayor for London (Transport)  
• Matt Coleman, Head of Data Policy at the Department for Transport 
• Martin Duffy, CEO of LCRIG. 

The Government continues to set out ambitious plans for the UK to be at the forefront of digital technology and innovation, but there is scarce mention of extra funding to enable local highways authorities to deal with the challenges of: poor air quality from increased emissions; sustainable infrastructure; electrification of the vehicle fleet; re-imagining space; and the imminent advent of connected vehicles on the network reporting asset condition in real time.   

It’s clear that the road alone will no longer be the ‘customer’ for highways authorities, yet it still consumes the majority of budgets. How will ‘going digital’ save money on maintaining core assets as well as protect and improve citizens lives and drive to better community outcomes?What will be the impact of ‘connected vehicles’ on contracts and maintenance practices? 

Local authorities have already invested in platforms, practices and people that still have a lot more to give, so is there a pragmatic and bottom–line measurable way to sensibly consider digital service provision?  

Adoption of new technologies will be key and having one version of the truth when it comes to transparently turning data into actionable intelligence will help authorities with their extensive programmes of asset management.  

If data and technology is used in the right way, councils will increase safe societal mobility, reduce congestion and reap the social, economic and environmental benefits of smooth, longer-lasting roads. 

The Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) has teamed up with Fitzpatrick Advisory, creators of DASHA, the ‘infrastructure Alexa’, to deliver another exclusive webinar in our series which is designed to facilitate fresh thinking and change in the highways sector.  

The discussion – which is taking place at 2pm on 20 April – will explore how councils can adopt, adapt and begin to take a leading role in preparing for the benefits arising from the deployment of connected vehicles on our networks, encouraging the necessary change needed to revolutionise the way we do highways maintenance.  

You can find out more and register for the event here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5511822516919223311