Highway Traffic Management is proud to be announced as a finalist in three categories for this year’s Highways Awards, recognising both individual talent and project excellence within the highways industry through recognition in the categories Apprentice of the Year, Small Project of the Year and Digital Transformation and AI Award.

The Highways Awards are renowned for celebrating the best in the highways industry, recognising outstanding contributions to road safety, innovation, and operational excellence and are a staple event in the highways calendar.

HTM’s Kye Owen has been named a finalist for the Apprentice of the Year award. This honour celebrates an individual entering the industry for the first time who has made a significant impact within their workplace. The winning individual will demonstrate exemplary commitment to achieving any personal challenges and will be proactive in progressing their career development.

Speaking to Kye, he said, “I’m really proud to be shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year. Starting out in the highways industry has been a big learning curve, but I’ve had great support from my team, and I’ve enjoyed every step of the journey so far. Being recognised like this motivates me even more to keep learning and developing.”

Dean Hollis, HTM Foreman who has been working closely with Kye and supporting him with his learning and development said, “His attitude to the learning is very attentive. He listens, asks questions if he’s unsure and puts into practice what he has been briefed,once the job has been installed. He always asks what he could improve on and what he’s doing well, showing his eagerness to learn and improve.”

“It has been a pleasure having Kye working alongside me as an apprentice, watching him learn new skills and seeing his confidence grow with each shift and job we have done. Well done Kye.”

Steve Wright, Quality Manager at First for Apprenticeships, said: “Kye has consistently demonstrated a strong aptitude for learning, achieving top marks in each monthly session. He has shown excellent development in his knowledge and skills across key areas. I have every confidence that Kye will continue to excel throughout the remainder of his apprenticeship.”

In addition, HTM has also been shortlisted for Small Project of the Year, which recognises the most outstanding highways project valued under £10 million. The nomination reflects the company’s continued commitment to delivering innovative, safe, and efficient traffic management solutions across the UK.

HTM successfully delivered a complex project at Birmingham’s busy Bromford Gyratory, on behalf of Kier, located beneath the M6 motorway. Due to height restrictions imposed by the permanent structures, traditional temporary traffic signal systems were not suitable. This challenge presented an opportunity to introduce the Metro System—provided by Traffic Group Signals (TGS) —in Birmingham for the first time.

This resulted in a single phase of construction works for the client, supporting consistency for both their construction teams and for the local network of road users and pedestrians, reducing confusion and improving safety.

The Metro System’s advanced radar technology played a critical role in managing increased traffic volumes efficiently. Its wireless design allowed quick deployment and easy integration without the need for overhead cabling. Urban Traffic Control (UTC) had direct connectivity to the system, enabling continuous monitoring and quick response to any changes in traffic conditions, whilst mobile CCTV units enabled real-time responses to traffic management flows.

“As this was the first deployment of the Metro system in Birmingham, HTM proactively met with TGS to gain in-depth knowledge of the Metro kits, including a dedicated presentation at the HTM depot. This ensured the team had a comprehensive understanding prior to installation,“ said Commercial Manager, Andy Booth.

“Maintaining a single traffic management phase throughout the scheme maximised the available construction area and supported efficient progress,” he continued.

Ross Simpson, Head of Delivery, added:

“The Metro System’s advanced radar technology played a critical role in managing increased traffic volumes efficiently. We were extremely pleased to introduce this temporary traffic signal to our client and for it to provide such a suitable solution that they are adopting the Metro System for use at multiple sites across the city. That paired with close collaboration between ourselves, the client and TGS ensured this job was a success.”

HTM have also been shortlisted in the Digital Transformation and AI category, in partnership with Re-Flow, having achieved a transformative digital overhaul, streamlining its operations through Re-flow’s end-to-end field operations platform. The implementation has digitised over 10,000 forms per month, automated mission-critical workflows, and significantly boosted safety and compliance in a high-risk, fast-paced industry.

The platform enables faster investigations, greater transparency, and real-time operational oversight, contributing to HTM’s ‘Safety Never Stops’ culture. The digital 12D Assessment Form now guides operatives to make compliant, safe layout decisions—minimising risk to road users and staff. This project sets a repeatable blueprint for the wider highways industry to modernise without high implementation costs.

“We’re incredibly proud of Kye and our contracts and development teams for being recognised on a national stage,” said Greg Baldwin, Managing Director at HTM. “To be shortlisted in three categories highlights the breadth of talent and dedication across the business.”

HTM is also pleased to be a sponsor of this year’s Highways Awards, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting excellence and innovation across the sector.

The Highways Awards 2025 will take place on 23rd September at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London, bringing together leaders and innovators from across the highways industry for an evening of celebration and recognition.