SHIMPAC® – The Best Practice Solution for Avoiding Overruning Roadworks Fines for Contractors and Authorities

The regulatory landscape for roadworks in the UK has changed dramatically. 

In a bid to tackle disruption, the government has rolled out tougher measures designed to hold contractors and authorities accountable for delays. Fines for overrunning projects now stretch beyond weekdays and apply to weekends and bank holidays too, with penalties as high as £10,000 per day.

Fixed penalties for permit breaches have doubled, adding yet another layer of financial risk to projects that run behind schedule.

In this environment, time really is money. 

With public frustration about congestion at an all-time high, authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate drawn-out roadworks. The message is simple: deliver on time, or pay the price.

So how can contractors and local authorities ensure they meet deadlines, keep roads open, and avoid these costly fines?

The answer lies in best practice – and at the heart of that best practice is SHIMPAC®, the fully engineered system for ironwork seating and levelling.

The High Stakes of Overrunning 

Roadworks are, by their nature, disruptive. But overruns make matters worse, compounding congestion and shaking public confidence in those responsible.

The government’s new measures do not just penalise lateness; they signal a cultural shift. Road authorities want projects completed faster, safer, and smarter – and they are prepared to financially penalise anyone who does not meet that standard.

Ironwork installations – manholes, gully gratings, access covers – may only make up a small percentage of a project, but their impact is disproportionately large. 

Traditional seating and levelling methods can be slow, complex, and prone to failure. Delays caused by mortar curing times, heavy machinery requirements, or subsequent remedial works can all drag a project past its deadline. And when the fines start stacking up, those ‘minor’ delays become very expensive mistakes.

This is where SHIMPAC® changes the game.

SHIMPAC® Best Practice: The Engineered Solution

SHIMPAC® is not just a product. It is a best practice approach to ironwork installations – an engineered system that addresses the very challenges causing overruns and failures.

Every aspect of SHIMPAC® has been designed with speed, safety, precision, and longevity in mind. For contractors and authorities navigating today’s high-stakes environment, adopting SHIMPAC® is not just about efficiency – it is about compliance, risk reduction, and protecting budgets.

Here is why SHIMPAC® should be considered essential for best practice in roadworks.

1. Four Times Faster: Minimising Road Closure Times

Perhaps the most important factor in avoiding overrun fines is speed. SHIMPAC® delivers the shortest road closure times of any ironwork seating product, completing installations up to four times faster than traditional methods.

Where mortar-based systems require 6 – 7 days to cure fully, SHIMPAC® eradicates that wait time entirely. With a 10 – 15-minute installation process, roads can be reopened safely within the same day – a fraction of the time required by alternatives.

For contractors, that means more ironwork can be completed within a one-day closure. For the public, it means less disruption. And for authorities, it means deadlines are met and fines are avoided.

Speed is not just a USP for SHIMPAC® – it is a lifeline in a regulatory system where overruns carry serious financial consequences.

2. A Third of the Cost: Smarter Budget Management

Budget constraints are nothing new for local authorities. The challenge has always been to deliver high-quality infrastructure solutions at the best possible value. SHIMPAC® provides that value by being around a third of the cost of alternative ironwork seating solutions.

But the savings go beyond upfront costs by providing:

• Reduced labour costs: SHIMPAC® can be installed by a single operative, freeing up crews for other work.
• Fewer remedial works: With unmatched durability, SHIMPAC® reduces the need for maintenance visits, cutting long-term expenditure.
• Avoidance of fines: Every day saved on a project is a day without a penalty fee attached.

In other words, SHIMPAC® protects budgets both in the short and long term, a crucial advantage for contractors and authorities navigating rising costs across the industry.

3. Simplicity: User-Friendly, No Specialist Training

Complexity often leads to delays. Systems that require extensive training, heavy machinery, or specialist expertise inevitably slow down projects. SHIMPAC® flips that model by being simple and intuitive to use with:

• No heavy or dangerous machinery required – just straightforward, practical installation.
• Minimal training needed, reducing preparation time.
• Pre-prepared Ready Pacs available, with everything cut to size and ready to install, further simplifying the process.

This simplicity not only keeps projects moving quickly but also reduces the likelihood of errors – errors which could otherwise lead to costly rework and delays.

4. Designed for Safety: On Site and On the Road

Safety is a further key element of best practice – and SHIMPAC® is designed with safety at its core.

For operatives:

• Installations can be completed by one or two people without reliance on heavy, dangerous equipment.
• The reduced need for extended closures means less exposure to live traffic environments.

For road users:

• SHIMPAC® provides millimetre precision in ironwork seating, eliminating hazardous uneven surfaces around ironwork
• The system’s durability ensures that once installed, ironwork remains safe and reliable for years.
• For active travellers, such as cyclists, the smooth transitions achieved with SHIMPAC® eliminate the risks associated with raised or sunken covers.

Best practice means not only delivering a project quickly but ensuring it is safe for everyone. SHIMPAC® meets both demands in full.

5. Longevity: Lasts a Lifetime

One of SHIMPAC®’s most remarkable qualities is its longevity. 

When installed correctly, SHIMPAC® lasts the full maintenance cycle of the road surface – and often beyond. In fact, some of the earliest installations, over 35 years old, remain in service today with no reported failures.

That longevity translates directly into fewer return visits, fewer road closures, and fewer opportunities for overruns. 

By removing the need for repeat interventions, SHIMPAC® not only saves time and money but also protects the public from the frustration of repeated works at the same location.

In a world where fines punish delays and overruns, longevity is more than a benefit – it is a shield against risk.

SHIMPAC® and Best Practice: A Clear Path to Compliance

The concept of ‘best practice’ in roadworks is not just about doing things better – it is about compliance, accountability, and reputation. Authorities and contractors are now judged not only on the quality of their work but also on their ability to deliver it on time, without disruption.

By integrating SHIMPAC® into their processes, contractors and authorities align themselves with a proven best practice that ticks every box:

• Speed (avoiding overruns and penalties)
• Cost efficiency (short-term and long-term savings)
• Simplicity (keeping teams efficient and effective)
• Safety (for operatives and road users alike)
• Longevity (lasting infrastructure that reduces repeat interventions)

With penalties escalating and public expectations rising, there has never been a better – or more necessary – time to adopt SHIMPAC®.

Avoid Fines, Deliver Best Practice

Roadwork overruns are no longer a minor inconvenience. They are a financial and reputational risk that contractors and authorities cannot afford to ignore. The government’s tougher stance makes one thing clear: only those who embrace best practice will thrive.

With a system that is four times faster, a third of the cost, safer, simpler, and longer-lasting than alternatives, it offers contractors and authorities the perfect solution to deliver projects on time, on budget, and without penalty. SHIMPAC® provides that best practice.

Contractors and Authorities – take note.