Road Expo Scotland 2023 Conference Programme

Theatre Sponsor

Road Expo Scotland Theatre Sponsor WSP

To view the Bridges Scotland programme, click here.

Tuesday 28 November 2023

10:30

Transport Scotland’s Approach to Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience

10:30 - 10:55 Adaptation to Climate Change
  • Reviewing the overarching climate change adaptation policy landscape.
  • Assessing the climate impacts affecting the trunk road network.
  • Discussing the ACCAR policy document, which outlines the key climate risks affecting Scotland’s transport system and sets out our strategic outcomes for Road, Rail, Aviation and Maritime transport networks.
11:00

Vulnerability to Flooding on Scottish Trunk Roads

11:00 - 11:30 Adaptation to Climate Change Resilience
  • Introducing applied research into the vulnerability of the trunk road network to flooding.
  • Discussing the approach to collaboration in this study.
  • What are the applications and key findings/takeaways?
  • What are the next steps in developing a framework for defining the vulnerability of roads to adverse weather-related flood events. 
11:30

Exhibition & Networking

11:30 - 12:00
12:00

Automating On-Site Quality Assurance through Sensors, GPS, Lasers, and Software.

12:00 - 12:20 Innovation
  • Highway Data Systems have been providing technology to contractors on the Transport Scotland network which are automating quality assurance during asphalt construction.
  • This talk with discuss the technology and work undertaken by the Automatic Data Capture Working Group to develop a world-first method compaction specification for asphalt compaction compliance.
12:20

The Future of Road Safety: Innovative, Lean and Dynamic Surveys

12:20 - 12:40 Innovation
  • An innovative approach to retroreflectivity surveys
  • Creating stakeholder efficiencies
  • The why, what and how
  • Data deliverables 
12:40

Developing Capacity to Deliver the Safe System

12:40 - 13:00 Safety
  • Investing to deliver a safe system culture in Scotland with the development of training, education and a Safe System Manual.

13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00
14:00

Project PRIME: Unique Road Markings for Motorcycle Casualty Reduction

14:00 - 14:20 Safety
  • This world-first research presents the largest ever investigation of rider behaviour, involving 32,213 motorcyclists.
  • Pioneering road markings for motorcyclists produced statistically significant positive behavioural changes in speed, lateral lane position and braking.
  • This work identifies important behavioural factors which support the ‘Safe System’ approach to motorcycle casualty reduction.
14:20

Roads Asset Management and ISO certification

14:20 - 14:40 Asset Management
  • Roads asset management is changing rapidly around the world.
  • New technology, increased demand and reduced budgets mean authorities have to plan and deliver in new ways, prioritising and deprioritising evermore while giving total transparency about their decisions.
  • Asset management practices help deliver all of this, and ISO 55001 sets out requirements for organisations.
  • Authorities attaining certification can assure stakeholders they’re good stewards of infrastructure assets.
14:40

Debate: "AI is the Future of Asset Management"

14:40 - 15:25 Asset Management
  • Panellists will raise points in support and/or against the stated motion, welcoming input from the audience.
  • Where are we on the AI journey currently?
  • What does AI offer asset managers and road planners?
  • What are the potential pitfalls and challenges that come with its use?
15:25

Research into Service Life of Reinstatements

15:25 - 15:45 Roadworks
  • The presentation will discuss the implementation of an extended guarantee period for utility reinstatements and detail recent research to assess the expected service life of such reinstatements. 
  • The research looked at a sample of reinstatements completed over a ten-year period and compared these with data from a previous study undertaken in 2012. 
  • The results give data over a 20-year period and show how reinstatement quality has changed over that time. 
  • The research work, commissioned through the Scottish Road Research Board by the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, was undertaken by WSP
15:45

The "Road to Net Zero" for the UK’s Street and Road Works Sector

15:45 - 16:05 Roadworks
  • HAUC(UK) and Transport for London (TfL) have combined forces to run and fund a research project to minimise the impact of street and road works on climate change.
  • The study, now in the design phase, is looking at how future roadworks could be carried out in a way that reduces congestion and supports the UK’s move to net zero carbon emissions.
  • This presentation will provide an overview of the findings to date, including how zero emissions machinery could be adopted by the sector and what changes to business models and legislation might be needed to support more sustainable roadworks.
16:05

Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads

16:05 - 16:30 Decarbonisation Innovation
  • North Lanarkshire Council have recently partnered with Amey to deliver the ‘North Campus’ of the ADEPT Live Labs 2 Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, representing SCOTS for this £30million, three-year programme funded by the DfT.
  • In partnership with Transport for West Midlands and Colas, the centre’s primary focus is to identify leading material innovations from across the globe and live trial them in Scotland. With all the outcomes and benefits shared as pace and scaled across the UK.
  • By establishing a digital knowledge bank and environment for material innovation to flourish, the centre will be an industry-trusted source for materials testing within the highways sector, designed for local authorities to accelerate our journey to decarbonisation.
  • North Lanarkshire Council are looking to the Scottish highways and local roads sector to bring forth low-carbon innovations to the materials testing programme, share learnings of previous material trials, and partner with the Centre to make Scotland a leader in decarbonising our sector
16:30

Networking Drinks

16:30 - 17:30

Held in the main hall.

Wednesday 29 November 2023

10:00

Panel: Using Data and Technology to Enhance Network Resilience and Efficiency

10:00 - 10:45 Asset Management Resilience
  • How can we optimise the roads we have?
  • What innovations in data and technology can help in this regard?
  • What are the obstacles to taking full advantage of them?
10:45

The Vision for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Scotland

10:45 - 11:05 EVs and EV Infrastructure
  • Overview of the key elements of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Scotland’s Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network published earlier this year.
  • Insights into how the Vision fits within the Scottish Government’s overall approach to growing Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network.
  • Update on progress with the £60m EV Infrastructure Fund (EVIF) aimed at mobilising private investment through a partnership approach with Scotland’s local authorities.
11:05

Decarbonising the Highland Council Fleet

11:05 - 11:25 Decarbonisation EVs and EV Infrastructure
  • Decarbonising the Highland Council fleet and staff travel – reduced fleet, travel hierarchy etc.
  • Infrastructure to help decarbonise the fleet – hydrogen, EV Pathfinder project (including collaboration with other local authorities) etc.
  • Vehicle type and selection – decarbonised technologies and how they will work for us.
  • Challenges – EV range anxiety, Hydrogen Availability, Finance, Workshops and Depots
11:25

Mission Zero – Scotland’s Path to Zero Emission Mobility

11:25 - 11:45 Decarbonisation EVs and EV Infrastructure
  • Overview of Scotland’s Zero Emission Mobility Policy Landscape and Zero Emission Mobility Innovation Ecosystem.
  • How Scotland’s universities & start-ups are collaborating on the development of technologies that help to decarbonise road transport.
  • Key actions needed to accelerate innovations and supply chain development in the road transport sector.
11:45

Exhibition & Networking

11:45 - 12:15
12:15

Panel: How Do We Identify and Fill the Skills Needed to Help Achieve Our Net-Zero Ambitions?

12:15 - 13:00 Decarbonisation Skills
  • The energy transition is happening, and it is essential that the domestic workforce has the correct skills for net zero. 
  • How do we identify the skills and expertise needed for the roads and mobility sector?
  • How do we create a diverse net-zero workforce in professions such as engineering, data analytics, machine learning and skilled tradespeople?
  • How can we upskills those that are already involved in the industry?
13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00
14:00

Embedding Carbon Reduction in Strategic Transport Planning

14:00 - 14:20 Decarbonisation
  • A summary of analytical methodologies developed to improve consideration of carbon impacts when developing transport strategies.
  • This involves new approaches, tools and evidence that can be used establish the case for change and shape policies and programmes of interventions.
  • WSP will share insights from applying such an approach, including what it means for action at different tiers of transport governance and the practical implications for our transport systems.
14:20

Panel: Mobility as a Service – How Technology Can Promote Modal Shift

14:20 - 14:50 Future Mobility
  • Exploring how Scotland is approaching MaaS, a technology-led delivery model for transport services in Scotland.
  • Activity under the Scottish Government’s MaaS Investment Programme.
  • Project delivery and lessons learned to date.
  • The future of MaaS in Scotland: challenges and opportunities.
14:50

Connecting Scotland: the Potential in Connected Vehicle Data

14:50 - 15:10 Future Mobility
  • There are many emerging ITS services and systems available now for all road users, not just new cars.
  • These can make roads safer and give all road users better services, with connected vehicle data now being the norm.
  • Services are about to leap from the test track to public roads.
  • Yuelin Liang, Associate Director for AECOM Intelligent Transport Systems, will join Andy to answer, "How can Scotland best maximise the benefits and what specific opportunities are there?" 
15:10

A83 Rest and Be Thankful: the Short, Medium and Long-Term Solutions

15:10 - 15:30
  • Based on the Scottish Landslide Study, the Rest and Be Thankful is amongst the most highly ranked debris flow hazard sites in Scotland. In recognition of the A83's importance as the primary route into Argyll and Bute a number of measures were initiated in 2012/13 resulting in the installation of debris and rock fall fences, catch pits and hillside planting.
  • Following the events in 2020 further catch pits were installed and a hillside monitoring regime was developed to enable the operation of the A83 until a long term solution is implemented.
  • This presentation will cover the short-term work carried out to date as well as ongoing monitoring of the hillside, details of the medium-term solution and also the permanent long-term solution consisting of a 1.4km debris flow shelter on the line of the existing A83.