17 July 2009, London, UK: Roads Minister Chris Mole has today thrown his support behind the Highways Term Maintenance Associations (HTMA) Sustainable Roads Initiative, a challenging vision for the future of highways maintenance.

"I congratulate the association for highlighting the role and profile of sustainability amongst members and the wider roads industry,” he said. “I wish the HTMA a successful conference and look forward to the event.”

Mike Notman, chairman of the HTMA, said: “We are delighted that the Minister is supporting Sustainable Roads and will be speaking at the conference. It is hard to imagine a topic more prominent in contemporary discussions of road maintenance issues than sustainability. The HTMA is taking a leadership role in sustainability on behalf of its members and the wider roads industry.

"Roads provide the basic needs for society and sustainable roads are essential for the survival, health and well-being of our nation. Sustainability, however, requires an approach that meets the aspirations of the community, is environmentally responsible and delivers best value on investment.”

Other confirmed speakers for Sustainable Roads include: Norman Baker MP, Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Transport; Dame Julia Cleverdon, Vice President, Business in the Community; David Bond, Government Lead on Sustainability, BT; Lorna Pelly, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Forum for the Future; Winsome MacLaurin, Engagement Director, The Environment Council; Gareth Evans, Business Development Manager, Petroplus Bitumen and Antony Oliver, Editor, New Civil Engineer.

Tickets for Sustainable Roads 2009 can be purchased online at www.htmaconference.co.uk

About the HTMA

The Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA) was established in April 2005 to promote the positive contribution that the highways management and maintenance industry makes to the nation and lobby effectively on behalf of the Industry.

Its members are some of the best known consulting engineers, construction companies and service providers in the UK and are a vital element in the community, maintaining the basic infrastructure needed to underpin a fast moving, flexible economy. The HTMA recognises that the effective management and maintenance of the highway network is of crucial importance to the economic and social well being of the nation. Every household and every business is dependent to some degree on the efforts of its members.

The HTMA members are: Amey, Atkins, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services, BAM Nuttall, BEAR, Carillion, Colas, Enterprise, Fitzpatrick, Halcrow, Hyder, Jacobs, May Gurney, Morrison, Mott MacDonald, Mouchel, Ringway, Scott Wilson, Skanska McNicholas, and WSP.

Issued on behalf of the HTMA Press Office by Andrew Slater. For enquiries from the media, journalists and researchers only, the HTMA Press Office can be contacted on +44 (0) 1782 443080, +44 (0) 7827 014 483 or email: andrew@theprfirm.co.uk

About Chris Mole

Chris became Member of Parliament for Ipswich on November 22nd 2001 and was re-elected in the General Election held in May 2005. He was appointed in October 2008 to the position of Assistant Government Whip, having previously served as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Local Government Minister John Healey MP, and has previously been a member of the highly influential Science and Technology Select Committee.

In the last parliament, Chris served as a member of the Select Committee that scrutinised the work of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Deregulation and Regulatory Affairs Select Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments. Chris steered his Private Members Bill onto the Statute Book where it became the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003.

He was Deputy Chair of EEDA, the regional development agency for the East of England, from 1998 and was Leader of Suffolk County Council, named Council of the Year 2001, until his election as Member of Parliament. Chris was first elected to Suffolk County Council in 1985 and represented central Ipswich for 18 years.

During his time as leader of the council Chris was known for his drive for financial efficiency which saved £55 million over eight years while delivering a massive increase locally in nursery places, sheltered housing with extra care and two £1.4 million Park and Ride schemes for Ipswich.