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Man jailed for attacking road workers and police
A man who punched and racially abused road workers and spat a police officer while claiming to be HIV positive has been jailed for a year. Kieron Wright, 32, of Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to eight charges following the assault at roadworks on Handford Road on 8 October. During his sentencing, Ipswich Magistrates' Court heard Wright used derogatory and racist language toward the workers and officers feared for their health after being spat at. The court heard how
Safer Highways
Nov 10, 20252 min read


TfL Confirms Updated Timeline for Gallows Corner Flyover Renewal
Transport for London (TfL) has announced a revised schedule for the renewal of the Gallows Corner flyover, confirming that the major refurbishment project is now expected to be completed by spring 2026. Under the new plan, the flyover will reopen to general traffic first , followed shortly after by the full reopening of the roundabout and surrounding roads. For now, the junction remains closed to all vehicles except emergency services, black cabs, and TfL buses as work conti
Safer Highways
Nov 10, 20253 min read


Urgent Inspections Reveal Croydon Flyover Needs Major Refurbishment
Transport for London (TfL) engineers have been carrying out urgent inspections on the Croydon Flyover this week, confirming that the 60-year-old structure “requires refurbishment.” Sections of the Wandle Road surface car park , located beneath the flyover, were closed while surveys took place. Although the closure was initially scheduled for just two days, it extended throughout the week, with TfL expecting to finish its investigation work by the end of today. Longstanding S
Safer Highways
Nov 10, 20252 min read


New “recycled road” surface trial paves way to zero carbon highways
A project to resurface a stretch of road in East Anglia – using recycled materials and electric machinery – is smashing low carbon targets. National Highways tasked its contractors Heidelberg Materials and WSP to deliver resurfacing of the A47 between Acle and Great Yarmouth, in a low carbon way. The result is a new structural layer of the road that's made from more than 90 per cent recycled materials. Typically, pavement layers use much less recycled or reclaimed asphalt
Safer Highways
Nov 10, 20252 min read


Esh and Octavius Join Lineup for YORcivil Major Works Framework
Esh Construction and Octavius Infrastructure have been named among eight contractors appointed to the second phase of YORhub’s YORcivil Major Works framework — marking their first inclusion in the programme. Other newcomers joining the framework for its latest iteration include Bam Nuttall and Jackson Civil Engineering. Returning for another term are Aureos Infrastructure Services, Galliford Try Infrastructure, John Graham Construction, and John Sisk & Son. Meanwhile, four fi
Safer Highways
Nov 10, 20252 min read


New CIHT report outlines how to unlock the full potential of active travel for the health, transport and planning sectors
The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) has launched its new report ‘ Overcoming the barriers to implementing active travel schemes ’ at its annual learned society lecture. This brand-new research highlights the benefits of active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling), identifies key challenges, and outlines CIHT’s recommendations for unlocking its full potential across health, transport, and planning sectors. Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT sa
Safer Highways
Nov 7, 20251 min read


Traffic islands given makeover to improve potholes
Traffic islands in Wolverhampton have been given a makeover as part of works to improve potholes in the region. Resurfacing work has been carried out on the Bilston High Street, Black Country Route and Coseley Road islands, in Bilston, by City of Wolverhampton Council. The cost of the work has been taken from the £2m the council received through West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) for highways improvements, with more roads set to undergo resurfacing work. Council leader S
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read


The Friday Blog | HS2: Britain’s Vanity Project or a Strategic Rail Investment?
The High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project was initially pitched as the UK’s answer to modern, efficient transport—a high-speed link connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds. It promised reduced journey times, regional economic growth, and a 21st-century backbone for Britain’s rail network. Yet nearly two decades after its conception, HS2 increasingly resembles a vanity project for politicians , plagued by soaring costs, public criticism, and questionable returns. The Vi
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20254 min read


The Friday Blog | Thames Tideway Tunnel: Bridging the Skills Gap and Diversity Divide—or Just a Government Tick-Box?
The Thames Tideway Tunnel , often described as London’s “super sewer,” is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe. Designed to reduce sewage overflow into the River Thames, the project represents a significant engineering feat, involving a 25-kilometre tunnel running beneath London and connecting numerous wastewater treatment plants. The tunnel, costing over £4 billion, has captured the attention of policymakers, engineers, and environmentalists alike. Yet beyond
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20256 min read


Wiltshire Council invests in third Bobcat machine to repair more roads across the county
Wiltshire Council has added a third Bobcat machine to fix more potholes and repair more roads across the county, further strengthening its commitment to improving road infrastructure Bobcats can remove large areas of damaged road surface in just minutes, which enables the teams on site to then complete the repairs, while the Bobcat moves on to the next site and the next job. This helps to keep disruption to a minimum and also enables the teams to repair more roads. Using a Bo
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read


Wiltshire Police highlight importance of good vision in latest road safety campaign
Wiltshire Police are reminding drivers across the county to make sure their vision is up to standard as part of an ongoing campaign to reduce collisions caused by poor eyesight called "Is Your Eyesight Roadworthy?" Over the past two weeks, officers from the Roads Policing Unit have been carrying out roadside eyesight checks, helping to identify drivers whose vision may fall below the legal requirement.If a driver is unable to read a number plate from 20 metres away in dayligh
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20252 min read


A14 westbound closure caused by queuing traffic, Highways says
A stretch of the A14 was delayed fully opening by nearly five hours due to early-morning queueing traffic, National Highways has said. The westbound carriageway between junctions 51 (for Needham Market) and 52 (for Stowmarket) remained closed until 10.50am on Wednesday. Overnight closures have been in place for this stretch of road since September 15, so that National Highways can carry out reconstruction and repair works to sections of the A14. The overnight closures will be
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read


Campaigners Demand Release of Smart Motorway Safety Reports
Campaigners have held a demonstration outside the Department for Transport (DfT) headquarters in London, calling for the publication of reports evaluating the safety and effectiveness of smart motorway schemes. The protest was organised by Claire Mercer , founder of the Smart Motorways Kill campaign, who claims that the DfT is withholding a series of Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports . These reports are intended to provide data on safety, value for money, and env
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read


The Friday Blog | A1 Northumberland Dualling: Balancing Cost, Safety, and the Future of UK Infrastructure
In the North East of England, the single carriageway stretch of the A1 in Northumberland has long been a source of concern for local residents, businesses, and politicians. With frequent closures due to accidents and an alarming record of casualties, calls to upgrade the road to a dual carriageway have been made repeatedly over the years. Yet, in 2024, the government officially scrapped plans to dual this “dangerous” road, citing funding constraints and deeming the project “u
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20255 min read


Northumberland Councillors Call for Reversal of Scrapped A1 Dualling Plans
Councillors in North East England have renewed calls for the government to reconsider its decision to cancel plans to dual the A1 in Northumberland, a single carriageway described as “dangerous.” The proposal was abandoned in 2024 after the Department for Transport cited funding constraints and deemed the project “unaffordable.” Speaking at a Northumberland County Council meeting on Wednesday, Liberal Democrat councillor Isabel Hunter stressed the urgency of upgrading the r
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read


Long Stratton Bypass Opens, Easing Congestion and Supporting Future Growth and Delivering Significant Social Value and Carbon Reduction
The Long Stratton bypass is now officially open, relieving persistent traffic congestion in the Norfolk town and preparing the local road network for future development, including the planned 1,800 new homes in the area. The scheme was delivered by Octavius . The £47 million project, designated as priority infrastructure by Norfolk County Council , comprises a 4km single carriageway and includes two new bridges to enhance pedestrian and cycling access into Long Stratton. Jami
Safer Highways
Nov 6, 20251 min read
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