It was decided to hold the meeting via Zoom due to restrictions around COVID-19.  despite this, it was a successful interactive meeting with 15 attendees. It included an update from new chief executive Steve Spender to give us a flavour of the challenges IHE HQ has faced as a  result of COVID and what their plans are for the future. Our chairman gave a summary report on the activities of the branch throughout the year. It was asked whether our usual CPD afternoons  could be moved to an online/webinar format, which we, as a branch, will be investigating.

The minutes will be available on the IHE website after their approval at the next AGM.

The first thing I must mention is COVID-19. This has forced the postponement of all future events until at present the end of June, but will be revised in time along with government advice.

Can I just mention what an amazing service that all the key workers have done, risking their own health to help keep us all safe and deliver provisions. What a response for volunteers to help the NHS over 400,000 individuals.

The newsletter contains: Editorial AGM 23rd June 2019 Using road plastics to enhance our road network 18th September 2019 Greenwich University 20th September 2019 Highway Engineers...Courting Trouble 23rd October 2019 Wine and Wisdom Charity Quiz Night 22nd November 2019 Passive Safety Workshop 4th December 2019 New committee members

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Look after yourselves, be kind to others, keep to the curfew and do what you can to help where it is needed.

Look forward to seeing you soon.

Hope to see you at a future event.

Best wishes, be safe,

Jamie.

Jamie Durrant MIHE
Southern Branch Chair

Quality CPD is essential to keep members’ registration current and up-to-date. It also provides a starting point for new entrants to the profession to grow their career.

This year’s session, attended by 130 members, was an update on a topic first aired by the branch in 2005, which looked at the potential effect of the Corporate Manslaughter Bill on highway engineers upon its introduction.

The Bill came into force as the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in 2007 and has far-reaching consequences compared with previous legislation. It was therefore appropriate to update our members of the changes and make them aware of the pitfalls that can be encountered in their everyday lives while undertaking their duties.

The day’s programme was designed to cover both the need for good practice by all parties within the industry and how to achieve this, and also to warn of the consequences the Act can impose.

Under the chairmanship of IHE president, Jonathan Pearson, the day began with CEO Richard Hayes explaining the legal challenges, which currently concentrate the minds of highway engineers, such as climate change and its impact upon our networks.

In recent years, extreme events have become more of a part of our daily lives. Flooding, abnormally high temperatures,  heavy snowfalls, and high winds due to hurricanes have all tested our ability to deal with extreme weather effectively.

Each event presents a challenge that needs to be met with a positive response based upon dedication, planning and care, with overarching awareness of the laws that govern corporate liability.

Paul Aldridge from WJ Group presented on the necessity of having qualified competent employees within the industry. Paul is a Fellow of the IHE and a regular supporter of the branch and the IHE has encouraged WJ’s staff to gain the qualification of Eng Tech or above in order to enhance their ability and confidence as individuals, leading to improved standards within the profession.

To explain the consequences of possible negligence within our actions, the IHE invited Gerard Forlin QC to address delegates with a follow-up to his original presentation at our Annual Seminar in 2005 and to explain the changes made by the 2007 Act. Gerard, an eloquent and lively speaker, left us thinking more broadly about our actions and their potential consequences.

Following the excellent buffet lunch provided by the Hampshire CC facilities staff, the afternoon session began with Keith Smith, group technical manager with Chevron Traffic Management Ltd – a leading company in the UK temporary traffic management (TTM) business and a regular supporter of the IHE, in his capacity as lead tutor of the Postgraduate Diploma in TTM Engineering for the Institute.

Keith highlighted the vagaries of poor planning and design of TTM schemes and the ease with which these can lead to prosecution when incidents arise.

Southern Branch committee member Gregg Holland gave a detailed presentation on the importance of Road Safety Audits (RSAs).

Gregg is a specialist in this area and has worked overseas for many years as a specialist adviser in road safety as well as in the UK.

RSAs are key to getting design, build and operation right from a beginning-to-end perspective, with improvements to ensure that corporate manslaughter does not arise from the project.

Taking the Chair this year was the IHE CEO Richard Hayes who emphasised the need for registrants at CEng, IEng and EngTech levels to keep up their CPD which is now a compulsory requirement by the Eng Council in order to retain their registration. Southern Branch IHE have a strong track record in providing CPD qualifying activities for members and this years’ seminar was no exception.

The day started with a return visit to the branch by Clare Foreshaw previously from HSE and presented to us in 2014 but is now a Partner with the Park Health and Safety Partnership. Clare’s presentation was titled ‘A remarriage of Health and Safety or the ‘Odd Couple’. When emphasised to us that safety has always been the emphasis in H&S it was time to redress the issue with regard to the ‘health’ of individuals since those in poor or deteriorating health will not be able to work safely. An important lesson for us all!

Next was Jim Morey, Director of Le Chat Noir, a small consultancy specialising in providing advice to those of us who need guidance on design and operation of highways in respect of people with disabilities. It is estimated that 12 million people or one sixth of the population in the UK have a long-term impairment or disability and therefore their needs for safer highways needs a more positive approach than is currently being experienced. Jim’s dedication and attention to detail in this subject is commendable. Jim is a keen member of Southern Branch and we were delighted to have him present this year.

Following the morning coffee break, Steve McGilchrist from WJ South West Ltd gave a detailed presentation of his company developments in safety working systems for operatives on the highway that have not only improved their safety but in turn have reduced operation time on site and hence hazard reduction for highway users. The innovative designs have been inspired and developed by their own operatives using a ‘bottom up’ approach technique by staff and hence those most vulnerable to danger have had detailed input into the development of innovation.

WJ are strong supporters of IHE and in turn the Institute is pleased to be able to assist them with the professional development of their staff.

To complete the morning session, Geoff Collins from Jenoptik Traffic Solutions UK explored the development of Average Speed Enforcement under the delightful title of ‘The Carrot Shaped Stick’. The message here is that if you control the motorist (gently) they will benefit by flowing freely and more safely. During the generation of average speed enforcement, it has been proved that speed can be controlled effectively to the benefit of not only the motorist but in the case of roadworks installations there is significant safety benefits to the workforce as well.

Following our excellent buffet lunch provided by the HCC Events Catering staff the afternoon began with a rather unusual but thought-provoking presentation from Stuart (Stu) Pollard, Head of Health, Safety, Security and Wellbeing for the Lower Thames Crossing Project. Under the somewhat confusing title of ‘Darwin to Arnie – Project 2041: A Will to Change’ Stu described how safety must evolve due to forward thinking based on experience and forethought and not rely on dated custom and practise as has been so often the case with previous designs. The date of 2041 is the target set to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the road and this can only be achieved by advancement in design and use of technology which is now evolving at pace. Let us hope that this will not be claimed as dead before 2041 as Arnie was in 2015! This was indeed a presentation about the thinking behind the thinking that left us in no doubt that Arnie is still alive!

Returning to Southern Branch after a recent presentation at one of our branch meetings, Marc Begg from Navtech Radar Ltd gave a comprehensive overview of the advantages of radar detection on our highways. Radar has since WWII has been commonly used in both the air and at sea for positive detection but has been disappointingly slow within overland transportation. Thankfully this is now changing and with the introduction of SMART motorways and the need for better incident detection, Highways England have commenced a roll out on their network. Radar has distinct advantages over alternative detection equipment currently used such as CCTV and infrared cameras since it can produce a live and detailed picture of all that is happening within its 360 degrees field of vision. It can even detect through inclement weather which often defeats its competitors. It is to be hoped that it becomes the norm on all strategic highways in the near future.

The final two sessions of the day were devoted to the safety of the highway surface. First up for these was Ian Chattington, Managing Director of Power Plane Ltd to advise on the benefits of retexturing. Since the departure of Klaruw from the scene of highway maintenance, the scope of retexturing highway surfaces has lost a valuable contributor. Ian refreshed us on the importance of texture depth and stone abrasiveness to achieve surface skid resistance and the difference between macro and micro texture. There are several ways to restore texture depth on surfaces of both blacktop and concrete carriageways provided that the material is still sound in quality. Power Plane Ltd specialise as their name suggests in the planing method using a laterally mounted and multi head rotary cylinder which can be fitted with either tungsten or diamond cutting heads. Alternative methods are available such as high pressure water jet but it is essential to establish the right method for your particular surface condition before commencing.

Last but by no means least was Stephen Child, Director of Stephen Child Consultancy Ltd. Stephen is a long time supporter of Southern Branch and worked for Surrey CC for many years as a materials and asset management engineer. He gave an entertaining overview of the pothole predicament that so many highway engineers currently find themselves in together with the ‘rights and wrongs’ of approaching it. In summing up his concluding question was ‘What is our greatest hazard on the highway?’ His answer – not potholes but every motorist around you! He may well be right!

Another excellent day’s CPD covering the whole spectrum of highway safety and the Branch is indebted to all our speakers for their contributions.

We look forward to inviting you to our 28th seminar in 2019 – watch out for details on the IHE website.

Following the ‘tradition’ of alternating the AGM venue between the north and south fringes of the branch, this year’s AGM will be held at Johnston Sweepers, Curtis Road, Dorking.

A light Buffet Lunch will be available from 1230 hrs and the AGM will commence at 1315 hrs. A full agenda and other reports will be provided at the venue prior to the meeting. After the business of the day delegates will have a presentation about Johnston Sweepers including a tour of their facilities in Dorking.

The AGM and buffet lunch is FREE to IHE members. Guests of members are very welcome to attend and we would ask a contribution of £8.00 towards the cost of the buffet.

NB: Attendance at the AGM is a ½ day CPD Event

RSVP:

To facilitate provision of the lunch, members attending are asked to book in advance and by Friday 11 May to tony.suter@btinternet.com.

About Johnston Sweepers:
Johnston Brothers was set up in London in 1904, importing Rhenish Basalt stone from Germany. By the mid 1920’s, they had expanded to start producing a wide range of road surface machines. These included tar boilers, gritters and a mobile asphalt plant. The organization has continued to grow, expand and diversify into producing alternative fuels, developing an all-electric compact sweeper and development has begun on a fully autonomous sweeper.

• a visit to the 3M facilities in Bracknell and,
• an all day workshop with Keith Smith of Virtus on the Traffic Signs Manual updates.  The latter is a follow on from his very well received presentation at the  Seminar in October.

If you are interested in attending any of the events, please email southern@theihe.org

The success of this gave rise to a follow up meeting to discuss the outcomes and the subsequent revisions issued by the DfT and this took place on 29th Nov 2017.

The venue was again the Grange at Midhurst which has become the regular venue for technical presentations.

27 delegates attended the afternoon to be addressed by James Kane, Business Development Manager for 3M together with Andy Fish, Technical Specialist and Ben Rooney, Marketing Manager.

As with most documents now emanating from Central Government the TSRGD is less prescriptive and more subjective which can leave highway engineers in some doubt as to the correct course of action and conclusion when designing traffic signing schemes which previously were delivered verbatim under the 2002 edition of the TSRGD.

Andy ably described the main differences identified between the new and previous edition of the Directions and encouraged the delegates to interact in order to achieve a dialogue which could be used to address any lack of clarity and provide feedback to the DfT to consider necessity for future amendment.

Delegates had been asked to submit questions in advance of the day in order to assist Andy with his replies and this led to a useful and productive afternoon.

It is proposed to arrange a site visit to the 3M facility at Bracknell in 2018 to see signs in production and to learn in more detail the advantages of the materials currently available to the customer.

3M are an open and collaborative company and welcome interaction with IHE. Branches and Members are encouraged to contact them for information and guidance.

Contact James Kane on: jkane@mmm.com / www.3M.com / www.3M.co.uk/traffic

Chris Bowley IEng FIHE
Southern Branch

IHE’s Southern Branch visited TfL London Underground Signalling School at Acton Town on Tuesday 7th June 2016 where Ken Lamacraft, Lead Systems Performance Engineer explained in detail how this is achieved by a comprehensive signalling system.