Skip to main content

Speakers lined up for “Highways UK - Roads for a Modern Britain”

Highways UK - Roads for a Modern Britain is a major event on 16-17 November that will bring together those responsible for planning, developing, managing and maintaining Britain’s road network. There will be profound changes resulting from the recent formation of Highways England, the new government-owned strategic highways company. Delegates to Highways UK – Roads for a Modern Britain from 16-17 November at the NEC in Birmingham will hear prominent transport and infrastructure specialists discuss what t
August 5, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
8269 Highways UK - Roads for a Modern Britain is a major event on 16-17 November that will bring together those responsible for planning, developing, managing and maintaining Britain’s road network.

There will be profound changes resulting from the recent formation of 8100 Highways England, the new government-owned strategic highways company. Delegates to Highways UK – Roads for a Modern Britain from 16-17 November at the NEC in Birmingham will hear prominent transport and infrastructure specialists discuss what these changes mean for road designers and contractors.

These changes herald:

•    Greater funding certainty
•    More efficient delivery
•    Stability for the supply chain
•    A long-term vision

And delegates will get the latest update on what Britain’s exit from the European Union means for the UK road sector.

The event’s speaker line-up at the NEC in Birmingham 16-17 November will be a who’s who – in the public and private sectors - of people involved in the development both past and present of Britain’s road network.

From the private sector:

• Dave Wright, executive director for Highways, Kier

• Alan Mackenzie, chair, Asphalt Industries Alliance

• Richard Robinson, chief executive for civil and Infrastructure in EMEA at 1397 AECOM

• Amanda Clack, head of infrastructure at consultancy EY and president of RICS – the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

• Rachel Skinner, development director at 2782 WSP-2693 Parsons Brinckerhoff and vice president of the UK’s 5180 Institution of Civil Engineers

From the public and third sectors:

• Roy Brannan, chief executive of 4068 Transport Scotland

• Andrew Murray, deputy secretary of the Northern Ireland government road agency TransportNI

• Sheena Hague, deputy director of network management for Welsh Assembly

• Colin Matthews, chairman of Highways England, the independent agency for England’s roads

• Peter Antolik, roads director at the UK government’s Office of Road & Rail

• Anthony Smith, chief executive of Transport Focus, an independent transport user group

• Steve Norris, co-chair the Highways UK advisory board and a former transport minister

There is an expectation that the industry will deliver long-term efficiency savings, a better quality service for road users and an improved network that supports jobs and growth up and down the country.

This is driving much greater use of innovation and smart technologies, working alongside the established road building, maintenance and traffic management sectors. It’s bringing new players into the market and creating entirely new supply chains.

Combining a high-level conference, industry briefings and a major exhibition over two days, Highways UK is the place to discover what these changes mean in practice and how your organisation can profit from this exciting new era for the UK's highways sector.

More information on the event from 16-17 November at the NEC in Birmingham is available on the Highways UK website.

Related Content

  • Highways UK event in Birmingham is highly positive
    May 17, 2016
    Strong industry support is being achieved for the upcoming Highways UK event, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC on 16th and 17th November 2016. The Chartered Institution for Highways and Transportation (CIHT) has become a principal supporter of Highways UK. CIHT's collaboration includes hosting a programme of industry briefings within a dedicated theatre and encouraging the active participation of its 13,000-strong membership of transportation professionals.
  • HighwaysUK event being held in London
    November 9, 2015
    Highways planning in England is at a historic turning point. That is the message that former transport minister Steve Norris will be bringing to the HighwaysUK conference at ExCel London, 25-26 November. Norris speaks from a position of some experience having worked at the highest levels in both the public and private transport sectors. He is in no doubt that the recent shake up that has transformed the Highways Agency into Highways England is the start of a new era. He said, “It’s not just a badge chang
  • Don't miss the Intelligent Infrastructure Award at Highways UK
    August 10, 2016
    The deadline is fast approaching to submit a product for consideration in the Intelligent Infrastructure Hub at the Highways UK event in November. Highways UK is for people and organisations involved in - and passionate about - the planning, development, management and maintenance of the UK's roads. Last year the event, held in London, attracted 1,500 delegates. This year’s event from 16-17 November at the NEC in Birmingham is expected to have 2,500 attendees. An important part of Highways UK's remit
  • Highways England: new agency with long-term investment strategies
    August 18, 2015
    Highways England, created out of the old Highways Agency, was set up on April 1 to oversee a closer relationship between government client and private contractors. World Highways went to a recent forum in London to hear both sides declare their hopes and challenges. Government reforms are often met with a certain amount of scepticism thanks to years of disillusionment over forgotten ministerial promises. Given that, highway contractors in the UK could have been forgiven if they had raised their eyes skyward