Highways England has issued guidance to its staff and supply chain as it plans to keep operating the strategic road network as close as possible to ‘business as usual’ throughout the coronavirus threat.
In an email sent to staff and industry, the government-owned company said: ‘At Highways England our work is an integral part and contribution to the wider UK response – for example supporting our colleagues in the NHS by keeping our network running to allow the timely delivery of medical supplies, equipment and medicines as well as supporting the food distribution industry to ensure vital supplies reach supermarkets.
‘We have to operate the strategic road network 24/7 and it is important that site, project and safety critical work continues. Unfortunately, this means that working from home is not an option for many of our colleagues or for those directly involved in supporting them.’
The strategic road network operator said it is working to the following guiding principles:
Safely maintain our critical services at all times and minimise impact on staff, customers and our supply chain.Monitor the developing situation so that we have a clear understanding of how the situation is developing and anticipate likely requirements / actions to mitigate its effects.Use our crisis management arrangements for coordination and communication measures to manage the cross-company response as safely as possible.Follow government and PHE advice on how to mitigate the effects of the outbreak and be prepared to implement new advice.
An email to suppliers said that Highways England wanted to ‘increase the levels of co-operation and integration so that we can fully respond to future challenges’.
It advised: ‘Please also pay particular attention to your Tier 2 and 3 suppliers that are also supporting the Strategic Road Network as they are equally important to providing the required support to the country.’
It also asked to be kept ‘fully informed of any business challenges that you believe could occur, or are experiencing, so that we can ensure a coordinated Highways England and supply chain response’.
Should you need to do this, please use the following e-mail address: Corona.Information@highwaysengland.co.uk – and please also continue to work with your normal points of contact within Highways England on a daily basis.
Original source article: https://www.transport-network.co.uk/Highways-England-keeps-up-the-fight/16541
Author: Dom Browne.
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