The road to prosperity?

The Future Highways 2015 conference outlined some radical changes in the delivery of highways services that local authorities are making in order to step up to the challenge of an expanded capital programme and the continuing squeezing of funding for the professionals to deliver it.

Lee Baker

26 June 2015

Andrew Jones, minister for roads, voiced his concern about the capacity to deliver the capital programme envisaged by the Government

Delegates exchange ideas at the event

The Future Highways 2015 conference was, despite an opening address emphasising that “austerity is here to stay,” surprisingly upbeat and constructive. That is not to say that the over 100 gathered highways professionals attending did not raise concerns. There was, in particular, anxiety about the ever-dwindling revenue funding for local authority staff and other day-to-day costs. Kishorechandra Vora, asset manager at Lewisham, asked the new roads minister at the event – who...