You'll get advice from a business leader on how to deal with fluctuating demand today on Highways Voices, as our third podcast from Highways UK talks digital construction techniques from Austria, and a new partnership involving TRL that could have major benefits on local and strategic roads.

These programmes are brought to you thanks to the support of AGD and Traffic Group Signals, Q Point, SRL, Westcotec and SWARCO.

Today Paul Hutton and Adrian Tatum hear from Westcotec, SRL and roadside technologies, plus Q Point, Tensar and about a new collaboration between TRL and construction firm Buro Happold.

You'll also hear TV star Matt Baker chatting during last night's gala dinner where he hosted the awards - how he's had an affection for roads and road maintenance from an early age, and maybe could get a new career.

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This is the podcast for you if you're at Highways UK and want to hear a bit of behind the scenes chat about what you might have missed, or if you're unable to make it to Birmingham's NEC but want to feel like you're here.

Paul Hutton and Adrian Tatum are your trusted guides to the event where you'll hear from National Highways CEO Nick Harris about RIS3, funding and planning and how he's coped with some disappointment this year.

These programmes are brought to you thanks to the support of AGD and Traffic Group Signals, Q Point, SRL, Westcotec and SWARCO.

Paul and Adrian give their take on the new Future of Roads Minister Lillian Greenwood as she updated us on her role, and then about some must-attend sessions on Thursday at the show.

There's also a birthday party with Clearview Intelligence, the latest on collaboration with the Traffic Group and a fascinating chat with SWARCO's UK MD on what the industry wants during this time of uncertainty.

Oh, and Paul gets a beer.

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Whether you're at Highways UK at Birmingham's NEC over the next couple of days, or wanting to get a feel of the event from afar, Highways Voices is your place to come for the best in chat from the UK's biggest Highways and Transport Show.

As the stand builders finish putting together the exhibition, you'll get a sneak guide to some cutting edge innovation, hear us examine the chicken and egg nature of design and which speakers not to miss, only on your official and trusted guide to Highways UK 2024 - Highways Voices

These programmes are brought to you thanks to the support of AGD and Traffic Group Signals, Q Point, SRL, Westcotec and SWARCO.

Paul Hutton and Adrian Tatum are your reporters from the NEC as you hear their take on what we can expect from the keynote session on Wednesday morning that Paul is hosting, before you hear from SWARCO and the Traffic Group, and then Highways UK event content director Claudia Davidson gives you her must-attend sessions. Then hear about a brand new product launch from Westcotec and some real thought leadership from smartmicro, Messagemaker Displays and Kiely Bros.

Plus, we'll tell you where to get a free drink.

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The UK’s biggest highways and transport show of the year takes place next week at the NEC in Birmingham, and Highways Voices is your must-listen place to find out more about it.

These programmes are brought to you thanks to the support of AGD and Traffic Group Signals, Q Point, SRL, Westcotec and SWARCO.

In this programme you’ll hear from organiser Claudia Davidson about, among other things, the big name industry leaders speaking at the event and the range of theatres and exhibitors involved. Talking of exhibitors, marketing expert Helen Blood gives you advice on how to maximise footfall to your stand and tells you how to get some free marketing advice.

We also hear from Q Point, Yunex Traffic, SRL and Clearview Intelligence about what they’re showing off on their stands. You’ll also hear how you can enjoy networking, food and drink at SRL’s Walkabout Party, and join Clearview’s 50th birthday celebrations.

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We will be bringing you podcasts featuring one-to-one interviews with key speakers such as Nick Harris, CEO of National Highways, with exhibitors and thought leaders on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Highways UK week. Join us from the NEC with podcasts every day at 4pm. If you’re at Highways UK, it’s a trusted guide to your event experience, and if you can’t make it, you’ll get a flavour of what’s going on. Don’t miss it!

What are the advantages of digitising your asset management? What impact can a digitised system have on councils and their communities?

These were the topics on discussion on this week’s Highways News podcast in association with Brightly.

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The company’s campaign-Assets. United, is a joined-up approach to asset management from Brightly, which gives its users – UK councils – a holistic view of all assets within their jurisdiction, irrespective of asset class, so they can make smarter decisions.

The initiative uncovers synergies between assets while putting the systems’ users in control of the actions they need to take.

We take a deeper dive with Nick Vague, Senior Solutions Consultant at Brightly and Brightly customer Chris Faires, Digital and Technology Manager for Highways and Environment at Hertfordshire County Council.

Speaking on the podcast, Mr Faires said: “Our approach has been to develop a very mature Asset Management operating model, and we've been doing this for the best part of two decades. What we've done is draw on global expertise to create a risk-based view, which gives us a much better understanding of all of our assets both on and under the ground in one system.”

Brightly’s system has helped the shift to greater digitisation in asset management, which is opening doors for councils to overcome the challenges they face. By leveraging digital tools, such as Brightly Software, they can use smart asset data to help interrogate current operations, inform and defend financial decisions, and realise widespread cost-efficiencies that make budgets work harder for the council and benefit the community.

You'll also hear some of the latest news from the Highways News website and our podcast partners, and why Costain wins "Adrian's Accolade" this week.

Next week we begin the countdown to Highways UK, as we look forward to the event, ahead of a series of podcasts brought to you from the NEC at the UK’s biggest and best highways and transport show… our podcasts sponsored by AGD/Traffic Group Signals, Q Point, Westcotec, SRL and SWARCO.

Our final Highways Voices featuring content gathered during the ITS World Congress in Dubai is a panel discussion looking at technical collaboration in transport between the UK and Europe.

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Recorded in front of an audience on the UK Pavilion at the heart of the event's exhibition floor, we hear from Joost Vantomme, CEO of ERTICO - ITS Europe and his colleague John Paddington - Head of ERTICO's Project Management Office, along with Department for Transport ITS Policy Lead Darren Capes, who is Transport Technology Forum Manager, and the Local Council Roads Innovation Group CEO Paula Claytonsmith.

We talk cross-border coordination, AI, regulatory frameworks and local government engagement plus the practical challenges of implementing new technologies, and, of course, the 2027 ITS World Congress in Birmingham.

The UK Pavilion was organised by the Transport Technology Forum and LCRIG, showcasing UK ITS and the work of stand participants AECOM, AGD Systems, ANGOKA, Aurrigo, Clearview Intelligence, Immense, Neology, Nicander, Now Wireless, Starling Technologies, Westcotec and Zenzic, with ITS UK also very active on the stand.

In the third of our special podcasts from the 30th ITS World Congress in Dubai, we find out how British companies can get help to build new business in the UAE, and we hear more about the World Congress in three years' time in Birmingham.

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We hear from the UK Ambassador in Dubai, Edward Hobart CMG who was joined in an address by the Vice Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee of the World Congress, Director of Dubai's Transportation Systems, HE Khaled Al Awadhi who addressed the UK delegation with Mr Hobart and the Department for Transport’s Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Sarah Sharples.

Mr Hobart then expands on his team's role in helping build business in the UAE and why UK companies are welcome in the Emirates.

After that we look ahead to three years' time and the ITS World Congress in Birmingham, with the official international launch with Transport for West Midlands' Chris Lane, Anthony Ferguson from the Department for Transport, Joost Vantomme and Dr Angelos Amditis of ERTICO and then ITS UK Chief Executive Max Sugarman.

The UK Pavilion is organised by the Transport Technology Forum and LCRIG, showcasing UK ITS and the work of stand participants AECOM, AGD Systems, ANGOKA, Aurrigo, Clearview Intelligence, Immense, Neology, Nicander, Now Wireless, Starling Technologies, Westcotec and Zenzic, with ITS UK also very active on the stand.

This week, the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) has launched Pothole Prevention Week as part of its on-going commitment to highlight the benefits of surface treatments that prevent potholes from forming in the first place.

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Joining us on Highways Voices for this conversation (see below), is Mike Hansford, the new Chief Executive of the RSTA and Craig Marshall, Head of Commercial at ASI Solutions, a RSTA member and provider of the RHINOPHALT asphalt preservation product.

Preventative or surface treatments protect and preserve roads so that they last longer and are protected from defects and potholes.

Once these treatments are applied, roads can last for up to 10-20 years longer or more, depending on the treatment. That’s roads without potholes for that long or even longer if re-application is possible.

In taking a more proactive approach, the life-expectancy of a road in the UK could be increased, and potholes significantly reduced, if local authorities and their private sector contractors adopt a more proactive approach to highway maintenance alongside other treatments such as resurfacing.

This would mean central government would eventually be spending far less on reactive repairs such as filling in potholes by adopting a ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach to highway maintenance funding, rather than ‘papering over the cracks’ with pothole repairs, for them only to appear again later in the medium term.