West Berkshire Council and VolkerHighways have welcomed senior representatives from the Department for Transport (DfT) to learn more about the council’s successful approach to maintaining its road network and delivering active travel improvements across the district.
Antonia Williams, Director General of the Road Transport Group, and Becky Morrison, Director of Roads Strategy, met with councillors, officers and our highways contractor, VolkerHighways, to see first-hand the council’s ongoing investment in maintaining and improving the local road network.
During the visit, council representatives highlighted the innovative approaches being used to keep roads in good condition, maximise value for money and ensure residents can travel safely and efficiently. Discussions also focused on the council’s active travel programme, which is helping to create safer and more accessible routes for walking, wheeling and cycling.
The visit follows recognition of West Berkshire’s strong performance in highway maintenance, including achieving a ‘green’ rating for its highway maintenance activities. This rating reflects the council’s commitment to delivering high standards of asset management, planning and investment in the local highway network.
Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Director General Antonia Williams and the DfT team to West Berkshire and showcase the excellent work taking place across our highways and transport services. The visit included site visits across West Berkshire to showcase works being carried out on new EV charging points, a resurfacing scheme, and an alternative approach to pothole repair using Thermal Road Repair.
“Achieving the ‘green’ rating for our highway maintenance programme is a significant accomplishment and reflects the dedication of our teams to maintaining a safe, resilient and well-managed road network. We’re proud of what has been achieved and look forward to continuing to invest in infrastructure that benefits our communities, businesses and visitors alike.”
Kunle Kolaru, Operations Director for VolkerHighways said:
“We are proud of our ongoing commitment to providing an efficient and innovative service that delivers value for money to the borough. It was a pleasure to host the DfT at two of our sites – a resurfacing project on Watery Lane in Hampstead Marshall and a thermal road repair treatment on Grove Road in Speen. A true appreciation of the work involved in keeping our roads safe and resilient comes from seeing these processes first-hand, and we were delighted to welcome the DfT for this visit.”
(Picture: West Berkshire Council/Volker Highways)
