The £30 million ADEPT Live Labs 2 programme has tested new ways to cut carbon, save money and improve the management of local roads—but how does the highways sector ensure that its findings do not simply end up gathering dust?

As the Live Labs 2 regional roadshow prepares to begin the day after this podcast is released, Highways Voices speaks to Programme Director Giles Perkins about taking the programme’s learning directly to local authorities across the country.

Giles explains why “low carbon” does not have to mean “high cost”, and why the programme’s focus has broadened to what he calls the vital combination of cost, time and carbon. He discusses how £30 million of investment has helped de-risk innovation, giving authorities evidence about what works, what does not and what can be adapted to meet their own local challenges.

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The conversation also explores why changing business as usual can be harder than developing the innovation itself. Giles explains how procurement, finance, legal teams, senior leaders and politicians all have a part to play—and why the roadshow is designed to bring those different voices together.

Listeners will also hear what to expect from the free regional workshops, how an AI tool is making almost 70 Live Labs 2 documents easier to explore, and what Giles hopes the programme will have changed five or ten years from now.

If you work in local authority highways, manage budgets, specify products, procure services or want proven innovation to be adopted more quickly, listen to this episode before the roadshow reaches your region.

Highways Voices is brought to you with our podcast partners the Transport Technology Forum, LCRIG, ITS UK and ADEPT.