Prevention, Positivity and Progress: Reflections from the 2025 RSTA Conference

As I stood at the podium at this year’s RSTA Conference at Celtic Manor, I couldn’t help but feel a real sense of momentum. There was a new energy in the room, a shared belief that our sector can lead the way, not just in maintaining roads, but in setting a smarter, more sustainable course for the future.

Mike Hansford, the RSTA’s new chief executive, captured the tone perfectly. His bold stance on preventative maintenance being not only cost-effective but essential, is one we at PYE Management have long championed. His message was clear: let’s stop firefighting with reactive repairs and start investing early to prevent problems before they arise. It’s a message that resonated with the entire room.

The Department for Transport echoed this approach with its renewed focus on transparency and incentivised funding. There’s something incredibly refreshing about the idea of local authorities being rewarded for demonstrating best practice. It shifts the conversation from patching potholes to proving performance, and that’s a conversation we’re proud to be part of.

I was honoured to unveil the second edition of the RSTA’s Carbon Emissions Document, building on the work we began in 2023. This year, we took a significant step forward by extending the life cycle assessment to include the use phase, providing a much fuller picture of carbon impacts over time. With participation from 19 member companies, the data is stronger than ever, and the results speak volumes: surface treatments continue to show a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional resurfacing.

For local authorities working towards net zero, this is no longer just about maintaining roads, it’s about choosing methods that align with their climate commitments. And the good news? That goal is finally within reach.

This year’s conference left me feeling proud, not just of the work we do at PYE Management, but of the entire sector. There’s real alignment now between innovation, policy and environmental responsibility. We’re not just making the case for surface treatments, we’re proving it with evidence, data, and shared purpose.

To all those driving these conversations forward: thank you. Together, we’re not just maintaining infrastructure, we’re reshaping it for a better, greener future.

Read the article published in the May 2025 issue of the Highways Magazine here