Emergency preparedness, response, & recovery: Identifying lessons learned by the UK highway sector from extreme-weather emergencies (2015-2020)

As a result of extreme weather events, their effects and their impacts on the UK highways network, the Department for Transport (DfT) commissioned research to identify any lessons that have been learned for ensuring the resilience of the highway network. The focus of this article is investigating a specific time window, between the winter storms and floods of 2015 (Storms Desmond, Eva and Frank) and Spring 2020. This period was chosen because events prior to the winter of 2015 (e.g., of the harsh winters of 2009-2010 and floods of 2013/2014) had been reviewed and changes had been integrated from these reviews into guidance and should be evident in practice as a result.

The following takeaways were provided:

• By focussing on emergency management activities related to the experience of specific events (e.g., Storm Desmond and Eva), it is clear that affected Highway Authorities have been supported by highly capable officers who have adopted, at times, quite innovative approaches to keeping their networks running, or back running following disruption;
• It is clear that many Highway Authorities can deploy Suitably Qualified, Experienced and Empowered Personnel (SQEEP) across all tiers of the emergency response hierarchy, meaning that the strategic direction, tactical solutions and operational delivery of highways’ activities can be and have been integrated effectively with the activities of other responders in highly complex and challenging circumstances;
• An additional finding regarded the innovative use of social media during recovery.