A blueprint to improve performance and efficiency in the highways maintenance industry to aid cash-strapped councils under fire from government cuts is being produced by a leading trade body.

The new head of Britain’s leading highways trade body has vowed to ‘develop stronger, productive and results-orientated outcomes across the sector’ despite the pressures of Government spending cuts.

Philip Hoare was appointed new chairman of the Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA) at the organisations AGM in London last week and immediately committed the organisation to further improving the quality of highways management and maintenance in a bid to reinforce the message that reliable and safe roads are paramount to the social and economic needs of the nation.

Private sector companies are ready to aid local authorities deal with the devastating effects of government spending cuts. Councils across the country are already implementing widespread cuts before the Government’s comprehensive spending review is announced in the autumn, which is set to result in a radical overhaul of what council taxpayers can expect from the state.

Various members of HTMA (Highways Term Maintenance Association) will be celebrating VQ Day on Thursday 23 June to recognise the achievement of many employees who have been successful in gaining their chosen qualification.

Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA) has welcomed Costain Limited as a full member and a further three associate members in the last month, increasing the membership to twenty full members and four associate members. 

Collaboration further extends trade body’s industry leading work.

As with many areas of life in this current climate, the theme of the need for efficiencies comes through strongly in the recent AIA ALARM Survey.

A lack of collaboration across the supply chain and lack of knowledge about the sustainable materials and systems available, is hindering the highways industry from making real progress in becoming truly sustainable.

The latest survey by the HTMA has highlighted that affordability is hindering companies achieving the government’s targets for carbon reduction.

Now that the snow and ice are melting, the extent of the damage to roads is starting to become apparent, in particular the amount of potholes appearing. It is however, too early to say how serious the problem will become. It is only once the cold spell has subsided that the highways authorities will be able to survey the entire road network and assess the situation properly.