I am getting so excited for this year’s Innovation and Learning Festival, there are so many new opportunities to see, hear and learn about new things this year and also meet suppliers that are the backbone of our industry.
This year there will be companies bringing wall climbing robots, an autonomous pothole filling machine, AI technology to monitor data around how roadworks and road closures impact driver behaviour and traffic flow, drones, companies skilled in using and trialing connected data, and universities showcasing new thinking, ideas, and solutions.
And, in a bid to keep pushing the boundaries and opening new opportunities for start-ups and connecting them with councils we are launching a new start-up Zone for suppliers in both the Highways Maintenance and Transport Technology Sector! You can read more about this new addition here and do spread the word!
As a Community Interest Company (CIC) that gives back to the highways community by supporting collaboration and innovation across the sector, it is great that we can flex and be agile about what we do to support our members. Which is why creating a new Start-Up Zone which provides funded places for small businesses and start-ups to demonstrate their cutting-edge products and solutions is part of our DNA of supporting Innovation. This new initiative, supported by DfT’s Transport Technology Forum means we can bring start-ups from two areas including Highways Maintenance and Transport Technology. In addition, National Highways will also be bringing Start-ups to join them on their exhibition stand – a further commitment to encourage, test and showcase new innovations they are involved in.
Talking of innovation, myself and Karla in my team have started preparing the foundations for the new LCRIG Innovation Report. We hope this will be a regular LCRIG publication involving council and supplier members. As part of the report, we will be undertaking an in-depth survey of which the results will help us understand innovation adoption, emerging innovation and attitudes to funding (amongst other areas). The research will allow us to talk authoritatively about what is going on in our sector around innovation and with over 120 councils as members and nearly 200 suppliers and partner members it will, I believe be the biggest insight piece we will have written about. If you are interested in being part of this report do get in contact with us.
Finally, this week myself and some of the team; Susanne, Keely and Karla are at Traffex. The agenda is great and I have caught up with lots of industry colleagues. We have always enjoyed attending industry events and Traffex is no different. I will be writing up my Traffex days in next week’s View from the Top, so if you catch me beware, you might get a mention!
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO