Gloucestershire County Council's Highways Team has won a national award for the way it works in partnership to deliver the county's highway services.

The team has won The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) / Autodesk Collaboration Award. CIHT is the leading voice of the highways and transport infrastructure profession and represents and qualifies professionals who plan, design, build, manage and operate transport and infrastructure.

In April 2019, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) began a new chapter for its highway services with the start of new collaborative working arrangements with Atkins, for professional services and Ringway, for highway maintenance.

From the start, the council and their supplier teams set out to work together, side-by-side, across all levels, to produce an effective and progressive service for the residents of Gloucestershire.

Seven entries were shortlisted for the award including HS2, Transport for Scotland, Transport for West Midlands and the partnership delivering the £197m M23 Junction 8 -10 scheme in Surrey.

Councillor Vernon Smith, cabinet member responsible for highways said: "I'm so pleased that our highways service has received this well earned national recognition and that we were selected from such an impressive shortlist of nationally and regionally high profile partnerships; I couldn't be more proud.

"I'd like to thank all of our highways partners who have embraced the new way of working to provide such a seamless service for the benefit of the people of Gloucestershire."

Hayley Raven, Atkins framework manager for Gloucestershire Highways said: "This award is the culmination of many months of hard work with our Gloucestershire client, Atkins and Ringway. We have built an open relationship across all parties to deliver the best outcomes for our client through enhancing relationships and developing engagement.

"Atkins are fully committed to further developing and embedding behaviours, relationships and ways of working with all partners to ensure successful Gloucestershire Highways services for the long term"

Nick Goddard, Ringway regional director, said: "I am delighted that the Ringway team, working with Gloucestershire County Council, are part of the winning entry for the prestigious CIHT Collaboration Award for 2020. It's a real testament to all their hard work over the last 12 months and I'm proud to be a part of it. Well done to all involved."