
The shortlist for this year’s Highways Awards (formerly Highways Magazine Excellence Awards) has been announced, and five companies are in the running to be named for Best Use of Technology.
The Best Use of Technology Award, with Platinum Sponsor MVIS, is a new prize at the Highways Awards, now in its third year, but this year saw more entries than any other category. The judges have sifted through and narrowed it down to five nominees
TfL and Deloitte Digital, Crown Highways, Elgin and TomTom, Tarmac and Gaist have been nominated for the prize of best use of technology at this year’s Highways Awards, taking place on Wednesday 18th October at the Lancaster Hotel in London.
The evening is hosted this year by TV presenter Julia Bradbury (pictured), who has presented on a variety of programmes including Watchdog and Countryfile and recently ITV’s Britain’s Best Walks and Best Walks with a View.
The Award for the Best Use of New Technology in the Highways Industry 2017 is awarded to an organisation or local authority which can demonstrate that they have or are making a significant improvement to the highways industry through the implementation of new technology, this could be new software, innovative equipment or an ITS solution.
The five nominations are:
TfL and Deloitte Digital, RODAT
This project was to combine and process, in real-time, the sensor feeds and big data sources to present a view of the key routes in London’s network in an intuitive graphical tool. That would allow TfL analysts and operators to synthesise and understand the situation and make informed decisions quickly and reliably.
Crown Highways, Fit2Go TPMS Systems
Crown Highways have invested in the use of the ‘Fit2Go’ TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) on its owned and hired fleet of vehicles. Crown Highways recognises the benefits of having a TPMS system installed on its vehicles so set areas of objectives to improve and determine whether or not it would be successful in reducing fuel consumption and hence fuel costs and it led to around a six per cent improvement in fuel consumption, saving it nearly £30,000 pa.
Elgin and TomTom, Pro Real-time Traffic
Elgin and TomTom have collaborated to deliver the first comprehensive national validated roadworks disruption dataset – roadworks.org Pro Real-Time Traffic. Using Elgin’s UK-wide data aggregation platform in conjunction with TomTom’s real-time floating car data (FCD) and innovative validation techniques, it helps highway authorities and organisations undertaking roadworks to monitor congestion and focus resources on the small percentage of works that are causing the greatest disruption.
Tarmac, Morpeth Northern Bypass
In 2015, Tarmac was appointed by main contractor Carillion to carry out surfacing works on a 3.8km stretch of the Morpeth Northern Bypass. Technological innovation was a critical part of the brief from Northumberland County Council. Tarmac had previously trialled automated paving technology in Wales and for Morpeth, additional emerging automated paving technology was combined with laser level control to create an accurate and efficient paving process data with sensors on plant equipment matching GPS location information with material and ticket data.
Gaist, Pothole Spotter
The Pothole spotter trial is an innovative, Department for Transport project working with Thurrock, York and Wiltshire Councils, independent research SOENCES and Gaist the innovative technology provider. It seeks to help councils in the future adopt a ‘smarter’ approach to highway repairs through the identification of potential potholes and intervention points before they start. Extremely High-definition (HD) cameras mounted to refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) and other vehicles such as small council inspection vehicles, bikes and buses are being used to identify defects that, if not repaired, are likely to develop into potholes.
Other nominations are:
Most Innovative Highway Authority Scheme of the Year Sponsored by Tripod Crest
Kier
M6 North East Spur & Rushall Canal Bridges Re-waterproofing Scheme
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Enjoy Waltham Forest
Kier Services
S-Skills
Bristol City Council and Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd
South Bristol Link
Site Safety Initiative Award Platinum sponsorship Dynniq
Tarmac
Tarmac’s 5+2 People and Plant Segregation
Balfour Beatty VINCI
(A)live on Site – An Original Safety Awareness Training
Jackson Civil Engineering
Hazard Awareness Videos
WJ Group
WJ Guardian Road Stud Installation System
Road Safety Scheme of the Year
Sponsored by Keysoft Solutions
Scotland TranServ
Annual Moving Cursor Programme
KierWSP
CarKraft Driver Improvement Scheme
Award for Environmental Sustainability in the Highways Sector Platinum sponsorship Total Bitumen
Amey
Stafford Western Access Route – Flood Compensation Works
Morgan Sindall
A1L2B
R&W Civil Engineering
The R&W Way
IKO
IKO Permatrack and the Carbon Offsetting Project
GRAHAM Construction
Metrobus Contract D
Road Marking Project of the Year Sponsored by RSMA
WJ Group, Kier & Highways England
M55/M6 High Specification Road Marking Upgrade
Amey & Transport Scotland
Solar Stud Programme
Lancashire County Council
Bank Bridge
Major Project Award Sponsored by Tarmac
Balfour Beatty VINCI
M5 Junctions 4a to 6 – Smart Motorway Programme
Aggregate Industries UK Ltd and Costain Ltd
A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Environmental Improvement
Morgan Sindall
A1L2B (Robotic Construction)
Skanska
M1 Junction 19
Highway Industry Product of the Year Platinum sponsorship Shell Bitumen
Carillion, Kier, Jacobs, WSP Brinckerhoff, Freyssinet Ltd & Highways England
Cathodic Protection
Tensar
Spectra Pavement Optimisation System
A-one, Tarmac & Highways England
Ultigrip
Team of the Year Platinum sponsorship MWay Comms
Kier
Suffolk Highways Surface Dressing Delivery Team
A-one+
One Team Approach
A14 Integrated Delivery Team
Procurement & Supply Chain Team
Kier
A38 Gravelly Hill Collaborative Delivery Team
Highway Partnership Award Sponsored by WJ
Dorset County Council & Hanson UK
The Dorset Highways Strategic Partnership
West Sussex County Council & Balfour Beatty
Future West Sussex Plan
Suffolk County Council & Kier
Highway Services Contracts
Essex County Council & Ringway Jacobs
Essex Highways
Highways Maintenance Efficiency Award Sponsored by Kier
West Sussex County Council & Balfour Beatty
West Sussex Highways
A-one+ & Highways England
Area 12 ASC Programme Delivery
Galliford Try
Urban Vision
Thurrock Council
Street Light Replacement
Apprentice of the Year Sponsored by the IHE’s National Highway Engineering Academy
Tarmac – Richard Denman
Amey – Bradley Richardson
Lancashire County Council – Cameron Newsham
Judges Special Merit Award Sponsored by: Archway Products Awarded to any of the above shortlisted entries.
To be announced on the night
The Official Charity Partner for the Highways Awards gala evening will be the Lighthouse Club.