National Highways takes top biodiversity prize for nature revival work
National Highways, along with The Wildlife Trusts, have been named the overall winner at the 2025 Biodiversity Challenge Awards for the delivery of a nationwide nature programme that planted over 13,000 trees, restored 35km of rivers and streams, and improved habitats across more than 2,300 acres of land. Chosen from 48 entries, National Highways’ successful […]
Cormac celebrates major wins at the 2025 CIRIA BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards
Cormac have won awards at the CIRIA BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards for the fourth time, following previous successes in 2019, 2022, and 2023. The Biodiversity Challenge Awards encourage the construction industry to ‘go BIG for nature’ by putting biodiversity at the centre of projects, delivering beyond normal business practice and compliance with applicable legislation, such […]
Can we build new roads without threatening biodiversity, asks Environmental Audit Committee
The Environmental Audit Committee is this week considering the environmental impacts of road construction, and whether schemes designed to mitigate this such as biodiversity net gain (BNG) are fit for purpose. The cross-party committee of MPs will consider how successfully environmental mitigation and BNG have helped to protect the environment and improve biodiversity in new […]
360,000 plants create biodiversity net gain on Lancashire bypass
A transformative National Highways bypass in Lancashire will deliver “an environmental legacy for generations to come” thanks to the planting of hundreds of thousands of shrubs and trees. The final planting of 360,000 plants, including more than 72,000 trees and shrubs, has recently been completed at the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool bypass, creating an […]
Biodiversity Plan on Wales’ strategic road network in full bloom
On hundreds of roadsides across Wales’ strategic road network, work is underway to better manage and increase the biodiversity of grass verges as part of the Welsh Government’s Llwybr Newydd i Natur – the Nature Recovery Action Plan. The A483 at Plasnewydd near Ammanford in Carmarthenshire is just one of many areas where you […]
M25 scheme: Funding boost for biodiversity at Surrey nature reserve
Funding of £20,000 from National Highways’ partner on the M25 Junction 10 scheme is being invested in restoring nature. National Highways, the Balfour Beatty landscape team, and the Salix nursery near Thetford, Norfolk, have joined forces in an initiative to restore wildflowers and reeds at Bolder Mere Lake near Ockham in Surrey. As part of the replanting scheme, seeds […]
TfL to double wildflower verges on road network
TfL are realising their pledge to increase biodiversity, mitigate climate change and become more sustainable in its operations by increasing the amount of wildflower verges on its network’s roadsides and has doubled the area managed in this way to more than 260,000m2 in 2024. The sites are managed to promote biodiversity by reducing mowing frequency to allow […]
Prioritising safety and wildflower conservation in Essex this grass-cutting season
Essex Highways is conserving wildflower species in verges across 90 locations in Essex. Where safe, certain roadside verges will be left uncut throughout May until late June. They provide sanctuary for nationally scarce wildlife species. These include such as Sulphar Clover, Lesser Calamint, and Crested Cow Wheat. Essex Highways is working with its arboriculture team to […]
National Highways’ green mapping project to boost biodiversity on England’s motorways and A-roads
National Highways is set to use artificial intelligence and satellite mapping to help track changes in habitats and biodiversity. Using the new state-of-the-art mapping tool will make it easier for National Highways to keep track of its Soft Estate ecosystems bordering the country’s 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads. Over the last 10 to […]
National Highways’ innovative green mapping project to boost biodiversity on England’s motorways and major A-roads network
National Highways is set to use artificial intelligence and satellite mapping to help track changes in habitats and biodiversity. Using the new state-of-the-art mapping tool will make it easier for National Highways to keep track of its Soft Estate ecosystems bordering the country’s 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads. Over the last 10 to […]