Hazel McDonald
Chair of UK Bridges Board, Chief Bridge Engineer at Transport ScotlandEducated at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities, Hazel has been immersed in maintenance, renewal and asset management of Highway structures for over 30 years, 18 years of this with Transport Scotland. Previous experience with Cumbria County Council and Capita Symonds in inspection, design and maintenance followed a PhD in ‘Temperature Effects in Concrete Box Girder Bridges’ and bridge design, inspection and assessment for Mott MacDonald.
In Transport Scotland, Hazel leads a team of 17 staff managing the inspection, maintenance and improvement of Scottish Trunk Road structures. Hazel is also the current Chair of the UK Bridges Board.
My Speaker Sessions
Wednesday 25 November 2026
Panel: Developing the Next Generation of Bridge Engineers
Building on last year's well-received panel discussion on the industry's skills challenge, this session brings together voices from across the profession to explore what's genuinely working, what isn't, and where things need to go next. Topics include:
- Mentoring and knowledge transfer between experienced and early-career engineers.
- The transition from education into industry - graduate and apprenticeship pathways.
- The skills future engineers will need as digital technologies and climate resilience reshape the profession.
- The role professional institutions play in supporting engineers throughout their careers.
Speakers
2026 Update to the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice
- An update on the 2026 revision to the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, with a focus on Part C: Structures and a short overview of Part E: Tunnels, covering its relevance to authorities managing tunnel assets.
- Key changes affecting bridge and structures management, including implications for competence and asset management practice.
