Exploratory Research into Automated Pavement Compliance Testing (ACT) to Improve Safety on the Strategic Road Network

National Highways (NH) is a government owned organisation responsible for operating,, maintaining and improving the Strategic Road Network (SRN) in England. NH is undertaking exploratory research into innovative approaches for pavement compliance testing on the SRN. This work aligns with the Home Safe & Well vision that no one should be harmed while travelling or working on the SRN. Pavement compliance testing is essential to ensure customer safety and the quality of highway renewal works. It is currently estimated that compliance testing activities account for approximately 98,500 work hours on the SRN each year. At present, much of this testing is carried out at night by operatives working adjacent to live traffic, exposing them to significant risks including vehicle incursions and people–plant interface hazards. There is an urgent need to explore and accelerate the adoption of automated compliance tests (ACT) that can remove operatives from high-risk live traffic environments. Early research indicates that such technologies have the potential not only to significantly improve workforce safety, but also to enhance pavement quality, deliver smoother roads, and improve the overall customer experience.