• Road Expo & Bridges Scotland 2025, 26-27 November, SEC Glasgow
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1st Sep 2026

Road Expo Scotland and Bridges Scotland, in association with Transport Scotland, return to SEC Glasgow on 24-25 November 2026, with Cabinet Secretary Stephen Flynn MSP confirmed to deliver Wednesday's keynote address

GLASGOW, [01 Sep 2026] – Scotland's roads sector is moving into one of its busiest delivery periods in years. The A9 dualling programme – a £3.97bn, 83-mile scheme – is progressing through award and mobilisation, with construction underway on the Tomatin to Moy and Tay Crossing to Ballinluig sections and further awards expected around October/November 2026 under the rolling framework agreement. The procurement pipeline continues to build behind it, with Pitlochry to Killiecrankie due for award in autumn 2026 and Dalraddy to Slochd following in winter 2026/27 – alongside continued industry attention on the A83 at Rest and Be Thankful, the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen corridor and the Sheriffhall interchange. At the same time, local authorities are managing ageing networks under sustained financial pressure, and the sector faces parallel demands to decarbonise, adapt to more severe weather and address a deepening skills shortage.

That backdrop is shaping the exhibitor floor at Road Expo Scotland and Bridges Scotland, which return to SEC Glasgow on 24-25 November 2026 with organiser Hemming Group already extending the floorplan to accommodate demand from across the supply chain.

A formal Transport Scotland partnership, and a Cabinet Secretary keynote

That momentum is underlined by two major confirmations for 2026. Both events will now run in association with Transport Scotland, formalising a partnership that already shapes their programme and onsite presence. And Stephen Flynn MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism & Transport at the Scottish Government, has confirmed he will deliver the keynote address on Wednesday morning – bringing the Scottish Government's most senior transport voice directly to the show floor, and underlining the political weight now attached to how Scotland delivers its roads programme.

On the exhibition floor

The 2026 exhibitor line-up reflects the breadth of that supply chain. Traffic management and ITS suppliers including Swarco, Yunex Traffic and Clearview Intelligence sit alongside materials and surfacing specialists such as Concrete Canvas and Rhino Asphalt; asset management and digital inspection providers including Gaist and Vaisala; road marking specialist MSC; and decarbonisation specialists such as Beyond Batteries and the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads. They're joined by major contractors and trunk road operators – Amey, BEAR Scotland, AE Yates and Carnell Scotland among them – and a growing consultancy presence, with Arup, Atkins Realis, WSP and Pell Frischmann all represented on the show floor. New for 2026, dedicated vehicle and plant exhibits give suppliers of larger equipment a place on the floor for the first time.

Transport Scotland's expanded role

That build-out is anchored by an expanded role for headline partner Transport Scotland, which is stepping up its presence for 2026 with a larger networking lounge showcasing national priorities and procurement opportunities, staffed by senior representatives at scheduled times across both days. Lawrence Shackman, Director of the Infrastructure Projects Directorate, and Hugh Gillies, Director of Road Delivery & Operations, will speak directly to delivery and procurement priorities as part of the 2026 programme, giving exhibitors and visitors a direct line into how national investment decisions are being made.

“Road Expo Scotland has become one of the most direct ways we engage with the industry in Scotland,” said Hugh Gillies, Director of Road Delivery & Operations at Transport Scotland. “We want an industry culture that helps skills and talent thrive. Being on the ground for both days, and taking part in the conversations happening in the sessions and on the stands, gives us a clearer picture of what the supply chain needs from us – and a chance to be upfront about the priorities and opportunities coming through the programme.”

 

Five themes for 2026

Theatre Sponsor WSP is backing a two-day, CPD accredited conference built around the strapline “Built on Evidence. Focused on Delivery,” running across ten panel and keynote sessions and six technology showcase talks over two days, structured around five themes drawn from what the sector says matters most right now.

Delivering Scotland's Roads – Projects, Investment and Supply Chain: the practical delivery of the national infrastructure programme, from the A9 dualling to the A83 and beyond, and how the public and private sector can work together more effectively to get projects built.

Managing and Maintaining the Network Under Pressure: the day-to-day reality for Scotland's roads teams – ageing assets, investment under pressure, rising public expectations, and the tools and approaches helping councils and operators do more with less.

Innovation and Technology Driving Smarter, More Resilient Roads: AI-driven asset management, ITS, digital traffic management and telematics, and the practical applications moving from pilot to mainstream across the network.

Net Zero, Climate Resilience and Sustainable Roads: low-carbon materials and Live Labs 2 evidence, whole-life carbon costing, climate-resilient design and what procurement for net zero actually looks like on the ground.

Enabling Safer Roads and a Stronger Workforce: reducing collisions through data and technology, protecting road workers, the 20mph rollout, addressing skills shortages and advancing EDI to build the workforce Scotland's roads sector needs.

“We've built this year's programme directly around what the industry told us – from the realities of delivering the A9 to the pressure councils are under to do more with less,” said Mike Malyon, Conference Producer at Hemming Group. “Working closely with Transport Scotland from the earliest planning stages has meant we can put genuinely current, evidence-led content on stage, rather than a generic events programme.” 

Who's speaking

Kevin Hamilton, Scotland's Road Works Commissioner, will open discussion on coordinating roadworks to protect bus services – a role that sits at the centre of how disruption across the network gets managed.

Mary Mitchell, Chief Procurement Officer at Scotland Excel, will set out practical procurement for Scotland's roads, drawing on Scotland Excel's role running collaborative procurement contracts for Scottish councils.

Carlyn Fraser, Interim Head of Network Management and Enforcement at City of Edinburgh Council, joins the panel on Enhancing Safety Across Scotland's Roads.

Darren Capes, President of the Institution of Highway Engineers, addresses Roads as a Career: Attracting the Next Generation.

Lewis Barlow, Head of Profession – Decarbonisation at WSP, joins the panel on Net Zero & Climate Adaptation – What's Actually Changing on the Ground.

Philip McKay, Head of Road & Infrastructure, Environment & Infrastructure Services at Aberdeenshire Council, presents Back to Black – Aberdeenshire's approach to winter readiness and climate resilience.

Giles Perkins, Programme Director, Live Labs 2, will present Low-Carbon Roads: Evidence from Live Labs 2.

Further speaker announcements will follow in the coming weeks.

Bridges Scotland: pressure on a different structure

Held alongside Road Expo Scotland, Bridges Scotland puts the same lens on Scotland's ageing bridge stock. Its 2026 conference, “Bridges Under Pressure: Resilience, Monitoring & Next-Generation Solutions,” is developed with the support of ICE Scotland, the Institution of Highway Engineers, the Bridge Owners' Forum and Transport Scotland. Its exhibitor floor spans structural monitoring and inspection specialists such as Riegl UK and Sensequake, bearings and expansion joint suppliers including Freyssinet and Maurer, access specialists such as Layher and Headline Theatre Sponsor Acrow, whose modular permanent and temporary bridging systems are used on projects worldwide. Acrow returns as headline sponsor, continuing its long-standing support of the conference theatre.

“What we're seeing on the exhibitor floor is a direct read on where the industry's attention is right now – delivery, decarbonisation and digital tools, and increasingly the people needed to deliver all three,” said Ray Clark, Exhibition Director at Hemming Group. “Our job is to make sure the right suppliers and the right buyers are in the room together, and this year that's meant extending the floorplan to keep pace with demand.”

Space remains for organisations wanting to exhibit alongside this year's line-up, and visitor registration is now open for local authorities, contractors, consultancies and asset owners from across Scotland's roads and bridges sector.

Event details

Road Expo Scotland & Bridges Scotland, in association with Transport Scotland

24-25 November 2026

SEC, Glasgow

Register to attend: https://forms.reg.buzz/road-expo-and-bridges-scotland-2026

About Road Expo Scotland

Road Expo Scotland, run in association with Transport Scotland, is Scotland's dedicated event for the roads, highways and infrastructure sector, bringing together contractors, consultants, local authorities and Transport Scotland to explore major project delivery, network management, innovation and technology, net zero and climate resilience, and safer roads and workforce development.

About Bridges Scotland

Bridges Scotland, run in association with Transport Scotland, is Scotland's event for bridge owners, engineers and asset managers, held alongside Road Expo Scotland at SEC Glasgow. The 2026 conference programme focuses on resilience, monitoring and next-generation solutions for Scotland's bridge stock.

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