Highways UK Excellence Awards - Shortlist

Creating an innovative culture

We are proud to announce that Surrey Highways has been shortlisted for an Innovation Award at the Highways UK Excellence Awards! This accolade reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation in managing our highway infrastructure, ensuring that we are not only addressing current challenges but also future-proofing our network.

Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change

As the impacts of climate change intensify - manifesting in increasingly severe weather events and flooding - the way we deliver highway services must evolve. These challenges disrupt journeys, strain resources, and contribute to the deterioration of our road network, leading to potholes and other forms of degradation. In response, Surrey Highways, in collaboration with Arbus, and Hydrorock, has developed pioneering solutions to tackle these issues head-on.

Introducing Hydrorock® and Smartraft®

Hydrorock® is a sustainable drainage system developed using natural stone wool, designed specifically to address flooding hotspots. Meanwhile, Smartraft® is a prefabricated vehicle restraint system aimed at minimising disruption during roadworks. By combining these two innovative products, we created Hydroraft® - a unique solution that capitalises on the strengths of both systems.

The Development of Hydroraft®

Patented in May 2024, Hydroraft® is the result of a collaborative effort between Surrey County Council, Ringway, and our suppliers. This innovative product integrates the benefits of the Smartraft® precast safety fence foundation with Hydrorock® subsurface drainage blocks.

Recently implemented on the A320 in Addlestone, Hydroraft® showcased its effectiveness by allowing our team to completely remove and replace 60m of barrier a night. This seamless operation meant no traffic management was needed during the day, enabling smooth traffic flow at this busy junction with the M25.

Key Benefits of Hydroraft®

• Whole Life Approach & Minimal Maintenance - Unlike traditional methods, which may require visits to flooding hotspots up to four times a year, Hydroraft® is designed to need checks only once a year. This reduces operational demands and costs significantly. For instance, recycling the existing filter stone would typically cost upwards of £80,000 per kilometer every decade, but Hydroraft® eliminates this long-term expense.

• Cost Efficiency & Reduced Disruption - The lightweight Hydrorock® blocks are easy to transport and can be cut to size on-site, while Smartraft® is prefabricated off-site. This streamlined approach focuses efforts on rapid installation, cutting on-site time by approximately 50%. It also dramatically reduces costs associated with traffic management, which would have been around £170,000 for temporary barriers, along with daily lane rental fees of £1,500 in Surrey.

• Environmental Impact - The installation of Hydrorock® leverages the natural permeability of local geology, enhancing natural filtration and increasing the resilience of our network against flood risks. By minimising on-site time and utilising lightweight materials, we reduce vehicle movements and idling, which lowers carbon and Nitrogen Oxide emissions. Additionally, the use of minimal concrete in Hydroraft®'s construction contributes to a reduction in the carbon footprint associated with roadworks.

A Solution for the Future

With Hydrorock®, Smartraft®, and now Hydroraft®, Surrey Highways is tackling one of the most pressing challenges of climate change - flooding - while simultaneously enhancing the safety and resilience of our wider highway network. This innovative approach benefits local communities by reducing disruption during construction and offering long-term savings through decreased maintenance needs and waste.

The successful evolution of these two innovations into Hydroraft® exemplifies the power of collaboration and the creative expertise of the Surrey Highways team. We are excited to continue paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and safer future for our roads.