Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
Free Traffic Information Seminars
Helping your business get its customers, drivers and goods where they should be, on time and stress-free.
Capability Assessment Toolkit 3
Introducing new and challenging indicators in the area of corporate social responsibility.
Efficiency Gains from Collaborative Roads Procurement
Delivering efficiency and best value is central
Collaboration and Efficiency
Who We Are
The Collaboration and Efficiency Team coordinates our role as a change agent for the highways industry in order to assist the achievement of efficiency improvements in local roads delivery. It’s an important part of the Department for Transport’s Efficiency Programme under the Gershon Efficiency Review.
There are two major work streams. One is to achieve and measure quality and customer benefits from improved levels of service in existing contracts for the strategic network. The other is for us to work collaboratively or in partnership with local authorities to achieve procurement efficiency improvements.
The Highways Agency chairs the Highways Efficiency Liaison Group (HELG). Senior roads industry representatives from suppliers, professional bodies, other change agents, the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency are members.
What We Do
The Collaboration and Efficiency (C&E) team investigates how and where collaboration can be achieved working across the highways industry. It seeks to bring about a cultural change in the way highways work is procured and delivered. The team is developing ways to capture and share best practice; ensuring successes in one area are transferred to others
The following reports provide background, illustrate how we consulted the industry and then set out the way forward:
- The Foundation of our work is Releasing Resources To The Front Line - Sir Peter Gershon
- Towards the end of 2004 we consulted widely on how to move potential efficiency gains in local roads forward.
- In March 2005 we published the results of the Consultation.
- In September 2005 we published our Strategy, Achieving Efficiency Gains From Collaborative Roads Procurement.
How We Do It
The Highways Efficiency Liaison Group (HELG) is the key vehicle for engaging industry and taking initiatives forward. The group meets regularly to discuss specific issues and challenge the way procurement is carried out. HELG is instrumental in disseminating the message of collaboration and efficiency into the local authorities and suppliers..
HELG endorsed our key strategy document "Achieving Efficiency Gains From Collaborative Roads Procurement" (see above), which sets out seven interlinked objectives and work is in progress to achieve them.
We have published, through HELG, a Toolkit For Local Transport Highways Efficiency Gains. This gives further advice to local authorities on the identification and measurement of efficiency gains in Highways. We have also commissioned and published a report by Happold Consulting Achieving Efficient Delivery of Local Highways Services - June 2006 (421KB PDF). Its objective is to help local highways authorities to develop their procurement strategies to achieve greater service delivery efficiency.
Detailed information sheets on the various projects the Team is involved in will be available here:
- Measurement Toolkit
- Frameworks - existing HA Framework Contracts that are open to local highway authorities to use and the means to access them.
- Communities - setting up joint client/supplier communities to help drive continual improvement initiatives
- Bulk Purchasing
- Best Practice
- Presentations given by members of the Team: Presentation to Midlands Highways Consortium - June 2006
Fact Sheets for Collaboration and Efficiency:
- Collaboration on new works and maintenance contracts - what is meant and some examples (374 KB PDF)
- Communities for Collaboration (1.23MB PDF)
- Toolkit for Identifying and Measuring Efficiency in Local Highways (1.21MB PDF)
- National Framework for Research and Development (1.22MB PDF)
- National Framework for Project Support - Type A (1.23MB PDF)
- National Framework for Project Support - Type B (1.23MB PDF)
- National Framework for Technical Consultancy (1.22MB PDF)
Other Background Documents
- Department for Transport Efficiency Programme: Technical Note
- Guide to Highways Maintenance Contracts (1MB PDF)
- Area 1 Scoping Study Report (40KB PDF)
- HA Procurement Strategy Review 2005
Links to Highways Efficiency Liaison Group organisations:
- The Institution of Highways and Transportation (IHT)
- The County Surveyors’ Society (CSS)
- The Technical Advisors Group (TAG)
- Public Private Partnership Programme (4Ps)
- Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)
- Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE)
- Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA)
- Constructing Excellence
- Regional Centres of Excellence (RCEs)
Other useful links
- Audit Commission
- Department of Communities and Local Government (Local Govt pages)
- Improvement and Development Agency
- Department. of Transport
- National Audit Office
- HM Treasury
Please let us know if you have any comments or would like any further information either by phone on 01234 796133, post or e-mail ceteam@highways.gsi.gov.uk
