Skip to main content

Private sector could reduce UK's road repairs cost

Private sector companies in the UK are preparing to aid local authorities deal with the effects of government spending cuts on roads. Mike Notman, outgoing chairman of the UK's top trade body for road maintenance, Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA), has warned that repairs and improvements to the nation's roads is an easy target for the coalition government, and claimed that private sector companies could reduce costs by as much as 15%.
May 14, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Private sector companies in the UK are preparing to aid local authorities deal with the effects of government spending cuts on roads.

Mike Notman, outgoing chairman of the UK's top trade body for road maintenance, 2479 Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA), has warned that repairs and improvements to the nation's roads is an easy target for the coalition government, and claimed that private sector companies could reduce costs by as much as 15%.

“Private sector companies undertake these services across the UK and therefore have much greater knowledge and experience of delivery,” he said.

Incoming chairman Philip Hoare has vowed to “develop stronger, productive and results-orientated outcomes across the sector” despite the pressures of government spending cuts.

He committed the organisation to further improving the quality of highways management and maintenance in a bid to reinforce the message that reliable and safe roads are paramount to the social and economic needs of the nation.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • French infrastructure to be privatised?
    July 4, 2012
    How will the deep cuts hitting France's national budget affect French roads and highways? Gordon Feller discusses France has one of the most modern transport systems in Europe, the result of decades of public spending on the sector as well as other infrastructure. The government historically has awarded contracts to build infrastructure to French construction and engineering companies, some of which are now among the world's largest contractors. Among other achievements, France's infrastructure programme re
  • China's Roads Convention focuses on sustainability
    February 9, 2012
    IRF joins with key Chinese transport authorities to lead the way in efforts to make sustainable rural mobility, transport and access a reality for millions throughout the world.
  • Engine emissions solutions
    January 9, 2015
    Various engine firms can now derate emissions control systems if required – Mike Woof reports With the next stage of the tough emissions regulations now coming into force in North America and Europe, this has had a major impact on the sales of secondhand machines. The fuel delivery systems for these ultra-low emission diesels can only cope with high quality fuels with very low sulphur content. And tests on the effects of low quality, high sulphur fuels on the low emissions engines have shown corrosion and r
  • The concrete option
    July 31, 2012
    Concrete highway construction techniques and technology continues to evolve. Mike Woof reports The recent increases in oil costs are having a knock-on effect for the road construction sector, as asphalt prices have increased noticeably and faster than those for concrete. This has spurred renewed discussion over which construction technique now offers the best long term solution for road building. The debate between those in favour of concrete and those preferring asphalt for highway construction has been on