National Highways Industry Awards

We're excited to announce the 2024 shortlisted projects, businesses and individuals in the National Highways Industry Awards.

Another year of high quality entries and exciting projects has made judging a difficult but rewarding process.

A big thank you for all your entries and to our 2024 judges.

We'll announce the category winners at a presentation on 5 March 2025.

National Highways Industry Awards 2024 logo

Shortlist

Safety

Shortlisted entrants in the category of Safety are:

Morgan Sindall Infrastructure

Mitigating incursions on the A12 with our collaborative and proactive measures to protect people on our roads

The A12 team has improved road user safety as part of its work on the Concrete Roads Framework (CRF). Collaborating with local stakeholders and integrating new technology and mitigation measures into Traffic Management, the East is the best performing region in the UK according to the Strategic Road User Survey (SRUS).

VolkerLaser

Road safety contribution - Sarah Byrne and Jade Dowd-Guest

Sarah Byrne and Jade Dowd-Guest designed and developed VolkerLaser’s ‘Drive Right’ campaign, a highly engaging and sustained campaign to positively influence driver behaviour to keep people safe on the roads. One standout element is the adaptation of the Monopoly board to enhance safety training. This demonstrates their creativity and how they have applied fresh ideas in a traditionally serious area like HSE.

Keltbray Infrastructure Services

M621 Junction 1 - 7 inclusive approach to safety

Keltbray has worked over 922,000 hours on this project without a reportable incident. Having the right safety culture has also had wider benefits on the public using this section of the motorway network. Local demographics have influenced staff training, so that they’re able to handle customers in crisis moments. This has resulted in a scheme that has been externally recognised for fairness, inclusion and respect.

Morgan Sindall and HW Martin

Safety contribution with the Sign Asset Monitoring System (SAMS)

To improve safety, Morgan Sindall collaborated with partners to identify, trial and implement innovative new technology. To maintain safety for road users driving within traffic management, clear signage is essential. Morgan Sindall ran a trial of the Sign Asset Monitoring System (SAMS) on the A12 concrete roads replacement scheme in Essex. Sensors were attached to traffic management signs send alerts if signs are displaced, enabling immediate deployment of traffic management personnel if sign movement is detected. This technology has been shared to encourage other highways projects to achieve savings and safety improvements.

WJ Group

WJ Autonomous PreMarker: enhancing safety in road marking operations

This process represents a revolutionary advance in road marking technology by dramatically enhancing safety and efficiency during the pre-marking process. Traditionally, this process is conducted manually, exposing operatives to significant safety risks. The Autonomous PreMarker automates this process, removing operatives from the carriageway and greatly increasing efficiency.

WSP

Reducing suicides on the strategic road network

WSP's Future Mobility team, in collaboration with National Highways, aimed to reduce suicides on the strategic road network by adopting a behavioural and community-centred approach. The team engaged with mental health experts, people with lived experience, and community stakeholders to develop innovative, non-structural interventions. The result was a versatile tool that helps National Highways quickly assess sites and determine the most effective interventions.

Morgan Sindall

How Lee, our safety champion, embeds a ‘people first’ perspective for all parts of the job

Morgan Sindall's Traffic Management Manager, Lee Usher, has transformed traffic management across major motorway schemes through his innovative, collaborative, and unwavering commitment to health and wellbeing. He provides personal support to both his team and the wider supply chain, bolstering morale and fostering a culture of trust and peer-to-peer support. His compassion, combined with an uncompromising safety focus, has made Lee's work a model for the industry.

Winvic

Millie Nimmo - Doing It Right Putting People to Work campaign

Marketing Campaigns and Content Manager Millie leads Winvic’s Doing It Right (DIR) cultural change programme. She develops and implements Winvic’s cultural change strategy, initiatives and behavioural change campaigns. Millie’s work with colleagues and the supply chain has helped in reducing Winvic’s accident frequency rate by 21%. Her ‘Putting People to Work’ campaign educates operatives on why they should prioritise health, safety and wellbeing. Millie has also fundraised substantial sums for local and national wellbeing charities. She also managed Winvic becoming a supporter of the Mates in Mind construction charity.

Amey

Deployment of Eave active hearing protection - Martyn Griffith

The Amey Specialist Bridges Inspection and Maintenance contract (SBIM) with National Highways covers the M48 Severn Bridge, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and the M5 Avonmouth Bridge. Noise levels pose risks to SBIM workers, prompting Martyn Griffith, the Operational Safety Advisor, to identify inadequacies in traditional noise risk assessments. Martyn conducted thorough noise assessments and introduced the Eave “FocusLite” system, which protects from harmful noise while allowing for conversation and hazard awareness.

Customer

Shortlisted entrants in the category of Customer are:

Balfour Beatty

Katie Ashton- customer champion of the year

Katie connects and form beneficial relationships at all levels including customers, stakeholders, and supply chain. She makes customers and stakeholders feel valued, supported, and listened to, giving them the confidence that they have to reach out to if they have any queries or concerns. Katie was an integral member of the team that implemented the communications campaign for the March 2024 M25 Junction 10 weekend closures, routing the public away from the junction.

Skanska

Above and beyond for customers at M42 Junction 6

Patrick Thomson is Skanska’s Stakeholder, Customer & Communications Manager at National Highways’ M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme near Birmingham. The nearby villages have been, until now, relatively rural backwaters. Vigorous opposition by local residents – Patrick’s stakeholders - has continued into the construction phase. He immediately recognises what construction impacts will be, intervening to influence decision making with colleagues, adapting methods or timing to protect customers’ and communities’ interests.

Costain

Steve Askham: championing customers and community engagement on the M1 NEAR scheme

Community Relations Manager Steve Askham has significantly enhanced customer experiences on the M1 NEAR network through his innovative and customer-focused initiatives. One such is his collaboration with police to develop the ‘Blue Light Incursion’ programme, which educates police drivers in the risks of using work areas during emergencies. Steve has coordinated various volunteering activities with local groups and schools. Steve's contributions have led to measurable improvements in customer satisfaction.

Colas

Bridging communication gaps with inclusive customer awareness training

Colas’ Customer Awareness initiative has transformed how its operatives communicate with road users, especially during incident response situations. This programme provides language cards and translation apps, equipping teams with tools to engage effectively with non-English-speaking customers and those facing communication barriers. The initiative has received positive feedback from internal and external partners, including the Midlands Collaborative Community (MCC), where it was shared and adopted by other contractors working with National Highways.

AmeySRM

A533 Expressway bridge replacement

The A533 Expressway bridge replacement scheme has ensured an increased life span of over 120 years, maintaining safety for road users and keeping local communities connected. National Highways and AmeySRM developed an innovative engineering solution that enabled the bridge deck to be constructed offsite in a more efficient, less disruptive way for customers. This initiative reduced the programme by 12 weeks, and installing the bridge during a single weekend meant fewer closures, further minimising disruption.

Keltbray and National Highways

M621 J1-7: bridging voices, building consensus with Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People

Accessibility was a key focus of the M621 improvement scheme, ensuring inclusivity for all road users, including those with sensory impairments. Stakeholder engagement was central to the project's success, with National Highways project team, Keltbray and the Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People playing key roles. The project delivered tailored solutions for improving mobility and safety, positively impacting the travel experiences of vulnerable users.

Winvic Construction

Winvic doing it right: embedding a customer centric culture

Winvic’s commitment to exceptional customer service is Winvic’s customer-focused approach begins with a thorough onboarding process. It is reinforced through performance reviews, training initiatives, and internal communication strategies, establishing clear, customer-centric goals at every level. Employees receive continuous professional development on customer engagement, including specialised training in diversity, mental health awareness, and environmental sustainability, aligning with National Highways' initiatives.

J McCann

Elevating customer experience, one light at a time

By embedding customer service values into every level of its organisation, McCann’s East Midlands SDF team has set new standards in road user satisfaction. The team faced a daunting task: replacing over 4,086 LEDs across the East Midlands in a single year. McCann streamlined the project, completing it in just 12 months - a 6-month reduction. The results were immediate: brighter, safer roadways and a 30% boost in customer satisfaction scores.

Morgan Sindall Infrastructure

Outstanding customer service on the A12

Morgan Sindall created an Internal ‘Customer Culture’ Communications Strategy based on National Highways’ Customer Strategy Pyramid and the six customer themes. The company mandated staff training, collaborated with National Highways and Abellio Greater Anglia rail on its weekend road closure, and created a ‘A12 corridor’ communications channel with other main contractors.

Delivery

Shortlisted entrants in the category of Delivery are:

Broads IDB

Loughlin’s Marsh

The land at Loughlin’s Marsh was given to the project by the RSPB, which now manage the site. Using local contractors minimised transport emissions, while supporting the regional economy. The new wetland habitat acts as a natural filter, helping to capture and absorb pollutants entering the marshland from the wider catchment including runoff from the A47, local road network and arable fields. The delivery of this new habitat and the wetting up of grassland is potentially protecting up to 2.8 metric tons of sequestered carbon per acre annually, meaning the site could store up to 200 metric tons of carbon each year.

The Wildlife Trusts

Network for Nature

England is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world: at least 41% of native wildlife species have declined, and 15% are threatened with extinction. Together with National Highways, The Wildlife Trusts are delivering a programme to restore natural processes and reconnect habitats, creating places where people and nature can thrive together. ‘Network for Nature’, comprises 51 projects across England, generating biodiversity and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of volunteers.

Kier Transportation

A585 - finishing with a flurry of environmental excellence

The A585 is a strategically important route linking the M55 to Fleetwood and surrounding areas. Historically, it suffered from congestion, delays during peak periods and a poor safety record. Keir, working alongside its supply chain partners, delivered a new three-mile bypass around the village of Little Singleton. Keir’s Windy Harbour A585 environmental team worked to limit the impact of the scheme, protect wildlife and incorporate environmental improvements. The scheme will create 18.2% biodiversity net gain, leaving a lasting legacy beyond the functional benefits of the new bypass.

AtkinsRealis

Net zero asphalt surfacing

Asphalt resurfacing is used on 96% of the strategic road network and contributes 15% to the total construction and maintenance carbon emission. AtkinsRéalis led the “Future Asphalt Surface Course Linking To Net Zero” research programme to support progress to National Highways’ net zero target. Collaborating with National Highways, the pavement supply chain, academia, product suppliers and delivery partners, the team accelerated ground-breaking trials of emerging low carbon asphalt technologies and materials to decarbonise asphalt.

AECOM

AECOM - recycling of concrete arisings

AECOM collaborated with suppliers ORIS, Tracey Concrete and Tru7 to deliver innovation in the recycling of concrete arisings back into the National Highways network. This demonstrated that large savings of Co2 were possible per linear kilometre of drainage pipe installed. With the backdrop of the climate crisis and the aim of net zero carbon, the work recognised the intricacies of materials processing and production lines along with commercial and quality requirements to establish a robust recycling process.

Morgan Sindall and National Road Planing

Innovative technology to replace concrete carriageways

Working collaboratively across tier 1, 2 and 3 organisations, Morgan Sindall developed an innovative approach to concrete road removal which was deployed across multiple projects and shared with the industry. A specially modified planer was developed to undertake the first ever removal of 300mm+ depth reinforced concrete carriageway in a single operation. Benefits included a 35% carbon footprint reduction compared to conventional techniques, quieter operation and reduced dust and debris. This innovative process was shared with National Highways, another framework contractor and the aviation industry.

Sir Robert Macalpine

A19 SRM – delivering social value to benefit community wellbeing

Sir Robert Macalpine’s broad range of collaborative social value activity has brought many benefits to employees, the public, the supply chain, the environment and the economy. The team delivered improvements to the long-term health of ecosystems and biodiversity, improved the lives of road users, delivered career and community engagement and focused on wellbeing, promoting active travel and men’s health.

HW Martin

Delivering social value with RBLI

HW Martin was one of the members of the supply chain that committed to backing National Highways initiative of boosting spending on signage with the RBLI social enterprise. The objective was to enable RBLI to continue its mission of reassimilating ex-forces personnel into civilian life through sustainable employment. In addition, 500 hours of upskilling the workforce on new technology has taken place.

Winvic Construction

Ouse Bridge project maximises community impact and social value through collaboration

The Ouse Bridge project has made a meaningful, positive, lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of local people, creating benefits both now and for years to come. The carefully designed initiatives and strong relationships created throughout the project have helped to enable greater social value to be delivered, not only close to the project but also extending across other areas on the National Highways Scheme Delivery Framework.