Festival investigates huge traffic jam
The organisers of the Download Festival in the East Midlands are investigating what they call “unprecedented” congestion ahead of this year’s event. Thousands arriving at Donington Park in Leicestershire on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 June led to long delays on the M1, A50 and A453 with some people waiting seven hours to get onto […]
M56 upgrade moves to 70mph
The upgrade of the M56 between Altrincham and Hale in Greater Manchester has moved to operation at 70 mph. Operation at the maximum national speed limit of 70mph was introduced on the stretch of smart motorway following work to calibrate technology, including stopped vehicle detection. A separate project involving overnight work to resurface lanes along […]
National Highways looks for new ideas to identify bridge defects
National Highways is looking to revolutionise the way it monitors and maintains bridges and other structures by hunting out new and innovative ways that will spot potential defects sooner. Research has begun to help National Highways on the ambitious journey towards self-monitoring and self-maintaining bridges with cutting-edge technology and modern methods being sought out for […]
Nottingham completes Electric Van Experience trial
A trial offering businesses in Nottingham and Derby the chance to try electric vehicles before they buy has ended with 79 organisations planning to take on 158 electric or hybrid vehicles. More than £2.6m from National Highways, and an equivalent of £1m from Nottingham City Council, funded the two-year trial. The aim was to speed […]
Suffolk Police detect 200 offences using HGV “supercab”
Police in Suffolk have stopped more than 170 vehicles and detected over 200 offences, as part of a week-long operation primarily focused on heavy goods vehicles, but also detecting any offences committed by all motorists. Operation Tramline saw police provided with an HGV tractor unit by National Highways, which allowed officers to carry out […]
National Highways official says stranded vehicles are safer on conventional, rather than smart, motorways
National Highways’ Director of Road Safety has reportedly written a letter admitting that the risk to broken-down drivers on conventional motorways is lower than on smart motorways. The Daily Telegraph reports that, in response to comments from a coroner about the death of a man on a smart motorway, Sheena Hague, has written saying: “The […]
National Highways plans more A12 closures for road rebuilding
National Highways has announced it is continuing work to break the old concrete road foundations between junction 25 and junction 26 of the A12 near Colchester in Essex. It says it’ll also be digging out the old concrete road foundations and surfacing the A12 northbound carriageway between the junction 25 exit and entry slip roads. […]
Somerset Council on the search for surfacing contractor
Somerset Council is looking for a surfacing contractor that will ‘facilitate a flexible mechanism’ to identify and implement innovative services, solutions, promote recycling and re-use, and reduce the environmental impact of the services delivered throughout the lifetime of the contract. The contract will support the Client’s Climate Emergency Strategy and commitment to being carbon neutral […]
National Highways introduces new system to manage drone operation near roads
National Highways has developed a new flight management system to make it easier to plan the use of drones for monitoring and surveying near its assets across the country. The Drone Cloud developed flight management system was launched earlier this month. Its aim is to speed up the process for drone operators looking to fly […]
A47 project manager shares her near-death inspiration for wanting to make roads safer
Helping to provide an A road to success, and mark International Women in Engineering Day, one of National Highways’ female Project Managers visited a school to share the death-defying story of why she became involved in the construction and engineering sector. Nikki Rowley-Todd, the Project Manager leading the £100 million A47 Blofield – North Burlingham […]