Video: David Poole, Highways England, commercial and procurement director

Ensuring that the entire supply chain develops a relationship with the ultimate highways customer is key to transforming the strategic roads new work into a truly customer focused asset, says David Poole.

"What we need to do is find ways for our supply chain to bring forward innovations that positively impact customer service," said David Poole, Highways England's commercial and procurement director interviewed in the ACOonAir Highways Hangout at the recent Highways UK event.

"Having direct relationships with parts of the supply chain that deliver real value to the customer," he added. "It is about making it more of a priority and bringing it forward so that innovations can come through.

"We are in a transition period. If you look at our Smart Motorway programme our suppliers have stepped up to deliver both the physical assets as well as the technology assets and most difficult of all the integration between the two."

The recently granted longer term funding settlement, said Poole, meant it was now able to go to market with a bigger collaborative frameworks.

"It allows our supply chain to invest in their own capabilities over a longer period with more certainty of work. That in itself will drive efficiencies but we also need to look at specification to help this." he said.

Technology will also radically alter Highways Englands approach to maintaining the netowrk in futur , he sais highlighting that the organisation wourl need "new skills and more skilled people' to succeed.

"It is a big challenge across all industy. We are in a transition period. If you look at our Smart Motorway programme our suppliers have stepped up to deliver both the physical assets as well as the technology assets and most difficult of all the integration between the tow. Our supply chain has started that journey."