National Highways has updated its Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW).
The MCHW is a collection of documents containing the standard specifications, technical details, and guidance that contractors must follow, ensuring consistency and quality across highway projects.
Since the mid-1990s the MCHW has been the standard suite of specification documents, underpinning all construction contracts for UK motorways and all-purpose trunk roads. It also is used by many others, such as local highway authorities and devolved administrations in the UK, as well as many highway organisations worldwide.
Alongside the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DBRB) it embeds quality in design and construction projects by setting out clear and unambiguous requirements to deliver the UK highways network.
The relaunch is the biggest in the MCHW’s history and fulfils the vision set out following an industry-wide consultation in 2018 to provide clear and unambiguous requirements and instructions, compatible with modern contract forms and future construction practices.
The new MCHW will:
Embed quality
- By providing clear and unambiguous requirements
- Through linking the design outputs from the DMRB with the works specific requirements in the MCHW
Improve contract preparation
- Support a standardised approach through new templates to provide works specific requirements
- It has new streamlined document sets and an updated numbering system, aligned with the DMRB
- You can download country-specific versions, with integrated nationally determined requirements
Enable future construction practices
- By providing performance-based requirements where appropriate, to enable innovation
- Embed sustainable, low carbon practices at the earliest possible stage of a contract and drive positive change in the highways industry
The updated MCHW will be used for all contracts awarded after its publication date (30 September 2025). There are some exceptions, listed in the accompanying Introduction to the MCHW (GP110) document.
The documents are available now at: https://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/
Guidance to help with the transition on a newly developed a MCHW information hub is available at: https://information-hub.standardsforhighways.co.uk/
National Highways has also set up a series of webinars to provide help and information:
- Wednesday 22 October 2025 11:00 – 12:00 BST – register here
- Thursday 13 November 2025 11:00 – 12:00 GMT – register here
- Thursday 29 January 2026 11:00 – 12:00 GMT – register here
(Pic: National Highways)
