AIA launches ALARM Appreciation Award
Asphalt Industry Alliance honours Donna Kelly for championing ALARM survey participation
THE Asphalt Industry Alliance has introduced its first ALARM Appreciation Award, created to acknowledge exceptional contributions to the success of its Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey. The inaugural award was presented to Donna Kelly, service manager at the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF).
The announcement was made during the AIA’s recent Sharing Best Practice webinar, which brought together 250 highway engineers from 144 local authorities, along with industry specialists and partners.
This year’s ALARM survey, published in the AIA’s 25th anniversary year, achieved a record-breaking level of engagement, with responses received from almost 80% of local authorities, marking its highest participation rate to date.
‘We are indebted to the local authorities that contribute to ALARM’s success by providing data and participating in focus groups – allowing us to develop a robust and influential report,’ said David Giles, chair of the AIA.
‘Thanks in no small part to Donna’s [Kelly] support, we’ve seen response rates across London Boroughs increase significantly over recent years, to reach an all-time high of 78% this year.’
In her former role as chair of LoHEG (London Highways Engineers Group), Ms Kelly was a strong advocate for the ALARM survey, actively encouraging other London Boroughs to participate. Her support helped the AIA gather more consistent data and publish stronger London-specific findings. ‘It’s been a bit of a labour of love, but I’m so thrilled we’ve managed to increase the numbers over the years,’ said Ms Kelly.
The ALARM survey, carried out each year by the AIA, provides a detailed picture of the funding, condition and maintenance needs of the local road network across England (including London) and Wales. Based on data supplied directly by the authorities responsible for upkeep, the report offers valuable benchmarking for local councils and is widely used across the sector to track long-term trends and investment pressures.
