DfT Leaders Visit West Berkshire to See Award-Winning Highways Innovation in Action

Senior officials from the Department for Transport (DfT) visited West Berkshire to see first-hand how the council is delivering award-winning highway maintenance, innovative road repair techniques and sustainable transport improvements across the district.

The visit provided an opportunity for government representatives to explore how West Berkshire Council, working in partnership with VolkerHighways, is maintaining its highway network while investing in infrastructure designed to improve safety, resilience and connectivity for local communities.

Leading the visit were Antonia Williams, Director General of the Road Transport Group, and Becky Morrison, Director of Roads Strategy, who met with councillors, council officers and representatives from VolkerHighways to learn more about the authority's asset management strategy and long-term approach to highway investment.

The delegation visited a number of live schemes across West Berkshire, including the installation of new electric vehicle charging infrastructure, carriageway resurfacing works and demonstrations of thermal road repair technology, which offers an innovative alternative approach to traditional pothole repairs.

The visit also highlighted the council's wider commitment to encouraging sustainable travel through investment in active travel infrastructure, creating safer and more accessible routes for people walking, wheeling and cycling.

West Berkshire's approach has already received national recognition, with the authority achieving a 'green' rating for its highway maintenance programme. The accreditation reflects high standards in asset management, long-term planning and investment, recognising the council's commitment to maintaining a safe, resilient and well-managed local road network.

Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said:

"We were delighted to welcome Director General Antonia Williams and the DfT team to West Berkshire and showcase the excellent work taking place across our highways and transport services. The visit included site visits across West Berkshire to showcase works being carried out on new EV charging points, a resurfacing scheme, and an alternative approach to pothole repair using Thermal Road Repair.

"Achieving the 'green' rating for our highway maintenance programme is a significant accomplishment and reflects the dedication of our teams to maintaining a safe, resilient and well-managed road network. We're proud of what has been achieved and look forward to continuing to invest in infrastructure that benefits our communities, businesses and visitors alike."

The visit also gave VolkerHighways the opportunity to demonstrate how collaboration between local authorities and contractors can help deliver efficient maintenance programmes while embracing innovation and value for money.

Kunle Kolaru, Operations Director for VolkerHighways, said:

"We are proud of our ongoing commitment to providing an efficient and innovative service that delivers value for money to the borough. It was a pleasure to host the DfT at two of our sites – a resurfacing project on Watery Lane in Hampstead Marshall and a thermal road repair treatment on Grove Road in Speen. A true appreciation of the work involved in keeping our roads safe and resilient comes from seeing these processes first-hand, and we were delighted to welcome the DfT for this visit."

The visit underlines the growing importance of sharing best practice across the highways sector as local authorities continue to balance asset management, decarbonisation and network resilience. By showcasing innovative maintenance techniques and investment in future mobility, West Berkshire has demonstrated how a collaborative approach between councils, contractors and central government can support safer roads and more sustainable transport networks for the future.