Hill & Smith Infrastructure has built a reputation for delivering rapid deployment of temporary vehicle restraint systems (TVRS) on some of the UK’s busiest strategic roads.

Recent projects on the M4 and M5 demonstrate how detailed planning, specialist equipment and experienced installation teams enable complex overnight installations to be completed safely, efficiently and on schedule.

Both schemes involved substantial TVRS installations completed within demanding overnight closures. On the M5, 2,600 metres of Zoneguard System 2 steel barrier (N2 containment, W2 working width) was installed during a single overnight possession. On the M4, approximately 2,400 metres of Varioguard TVRS was deployed within just six hours. Delivering projects of this scale required careful coordination, efficient logistics and the flexibility to respond to changing site and weather conditions without compromising safety or programme.

Early contractor involvement played an important role in both schemes. Working alongside project teams during the planning stage enabled installation methodologies, resource allocation and site logistics to be refined well before work began, ensuring each possession window was used as efficiently as possible.

Safety remained central throughout delivery. Night-time motorway working presents additional challenges, including fatigue, vibration exposure and changing environmental conditions. These were managed through robust supervision, appropriate welfare provision and installation teams accredited to LANTRA NHSS 10B standards, supported by continuous professional development.

An integrated management system, certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, underpins every project while supporting National Highways’ Net Zero ambitions and Hill & Smith Infrastructure’s own science-based commitment to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040.

Rapid deployment also relies on efficient logistics. Hill & Smith Infrastructure’s nationwide network of barrier storage depots enables equipment to be sourced from the nearest available location, reducing transport distances, improving operational efficiency and lowering associated carbon emissions. On comparable schemes, reducing a 200-kilometre haul to a nearer depot has saved around 100kg of CO₂ per articulated lorry each way. This approach is supported by a FORS Gold accredited logistics operation, maintained for six consecutive years through initiatives including eco-driving and reduced engine idling.

Innovation is equally important. By combining cranes with side loaders, installation teams can position barriers more quickly and accurately than traditional crane-only methods, reducing handling operations, improving safety and helping projects remain on programme.

Hill & Smith Infrastructure has also invested in its Asset Drilling Rig (ADR), replacing labour-intensive manual drilling with a mechanised process that enables anchors to be installed more efficiently while reducing manual handling and exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). An integrated vacuum system captures drilling debris during installation, helping maintain cleaner carriageways while reducing environmental impact.

Both motorway schemes were completed within their planned overnight closure windows, allowing the M4 and M5 to reopen on schedule without additional closures. The projects reduced temporary traffic management costs, optimised plant utilisation and minimised disruption for road users, demonstrating how detailed planning, specialist equipment and experienced teams can deliver safer, faster and more efficient infrastructure projects.

As demands on the strategic road network continue to increase, rapid deployment is becoming an increasingly valuable capability. The M4 and M5 projects demonstrate how investment in skilled people, innovative equipment and proven delivery methods enables Hill & Smith Infrastructure to complete complex installations safely, efficiently and with confidence, while keeping disruption to a minimum.

Rapid deployment forms part of Hill & Smith Infrastructure’s wider commitment to improving safety and efficiency across the highways sector.