National Highways Extends Data Services Partnership with CGI for Five Years

National Highways has signed a five-year extension to its IT services contract with CGI, continuing a programme to better leverage the organisation’s extensive transport data assets.

The extension forms part of the Data Architecture and Engineering programme, which aims to improve services for road users by making sense of the vast amounts of data generated across England’s motorways and major A-roads.

National Highways’ digital systems — including roadside sensors, CCTV, and smart motorway technologies — collect information on millions of journeys daily across thousands of miles of network. The data, which the organisation values at over £60 billion, supports operations, incident management, and long-term planning.

Under the renewed partnership, CGI will continue to modernise National Highways’ data infrastructure, including migrating existing data to a single digital platform. This unified approach is designed to enhance data availability and usability, supporting better decision-making and real-time information sharing for drivers.

“Our data is one of our most valuable assets and plays a crucial role in how we operate and improve the network,” said Adam Locker, Head of Data Architecture and Engineering at National Highways.“This next phase will help us use our operational data in a more meaningful and timely way, supporting better decision-making and helping us share useful information with drivers. Ultimately, we want to make journeys easier and ensure our network continues to meet the needs of road users.”

The next phase of the programme will include user-focused services, such as sharing live information on road closures and incidents via platforms like Google Maps and Waze, helping drivers plan journeys more effectively and improving freight and emergency response efficiency.

“With CGI helping to combine and improve access to disparate data sources, National Highways can significantly enhance the road experience, minimising disruption across the entire network and modernising a vital part of our transport ecosystem,” said Kevin O’Neill, Senior Vice-President at CGI.

This latest contract builds on National Highways’ ongoing digital strategy, launched in 2021 (when the organisation was known as Highways England), which aims to make use of intelligent asset management and predictive technologies. The strategy also promotes the use of digital rehearsal tools on construction sites, allowing safer, more efficient project delivery and minimising disruption for road users.

CGI brings extensive experience in large-scale data strategies, having worked for 12 years with the European Space Agency (ESA) to improve access to Earth observation data. Through projects such as ESA’s Multi-Mission Algorithm and Analysis Platform (MAAP), CGI helps scientists access NASA and ESA biomass datasets, demonstrating its capability in managing complex data ecosystems.