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From Risk to Resilience: CIHT Podcast Previews National Conference Focus on Climate Challenges

30th Jan 2026

The latest CIHT podcast brings together leading voices from across the highways and transportation sector to explore one of the most urgent issues facing the profession today: the shift from risk to resilience. Recorded ahead of the CIHT National Conference on 18 March in London, the discussion features CIHT President Mitesh Solanki, climate resilience expert John Lamb, and Ringway’s resilience lead Simon Butt, with Justin Ward, CIHT Head of Policy and Technical Practice, hosting.

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The conversation sets the scene for what delegates can expect at the upcoming conference, which will include a keynote from Transport Minister Simon Lightwood and sessions designed to help the sector respond to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Listen here:

The podcast is also available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A Sector Already Living in a Changing Climate

Opening the discussion, CIHT President Mitesh Solanki emphasised that resilience is no longer a future-facing topic:

We are already in it — we’re living in the impacts of climate change. We need to understand how we react and respond to protect the communities we serve

Solanki highlighted CIHT’s focus on climate action, equality, diversity and inclusion, and professionalism, noting that resilience intersects with each theme. He pointed in particular to the need to equip a changing workforce with the right skills, supported by platforms such as CIHT Learn.

International Lessons and Home Realities

John Lamb, Chair of the CIHT Adaptation, Biodiversity and Climate Change Board and long-standing contributor to the World Road Association (PIARC), reflected on how global experiences mirror those in the UK.

He cited storms in Canada, Belgium, Germany and Spain, all showing similar patterns: intense rainfall, major infrastructure loss, and significant impacts on communities and economies.

What we see overseas is now happening here — often with even smaller volumes of rainfall overwhelming our Victorian infrastructure

Lamb emphasised that authorities can no longer wait for future climate projections, noting that today’s extreme events already resemble conditions once anticipated for 2050.

Responding to Storm Goretti and Other Recent Events

Simon Butt shared insights from Ringway’s response to Storm Goretti, a recent snow and wind event that caused significant disruption. He explained how planned‑reactive operations, resource sharing across regions, and strong supply chain links enabled effective incident management.

The conversation also touched on real‑world examples, including:

A flooded underpass requiring the pumping of 100 million litres of water via 13 km of pipework
Grave impacts on local authorities, such as Leicestershire’s £10m flood costs
The Godstone sinkhole, highlighting issues linked to legacy infrastructure and rising water tables

Both Butt and Solanki reinforced the importance of collaboration, mutual aid, and sharing operational learning across organisations.

Practical Tools for Local Authorities

A significant focus of the discussion was the work CIHT and the UK Roads Leadership Group are undertaking to produce a practical resilience guide for local authorities.

This new framework aims to help councils:

Understand near‑term operational risks
Build consistent approaches to rapid response
Make stronger business cases for investment
Access clear, practitioner‑friendly guidance similar to winter service standards

A draft is expected for consultation in summer 2026.

Greener, Smarter Ways to Build Resilience

The speakers also discussed how resilient design does not always mean “building more,” but often “building differently.”

Solanki highlighted an example from Bradford’s Transforming Cities Fund scheme, where upgraded SuDS features protected key areas from flooding during a severe rain event — even as surrounding districts experienced significant impacts.

This aligns with broader “sponge city” thinking, where green infrastructure supports both water management and place‑making.

Looking Ahead: A Cross‑Sector Call to Action

Reflecting on his decade of resilience work, Lamb concluded that personal and professional resilience must go hand in hand:

You must learn to swim before you fall overboard. CIHT is helping the sector get ready — not after the next storm, but now

The upcoming National Conference will continue this critical conversation, offering delegates the chance to hear directly from practitioners, policymakers and international experts shaping the UK’s approach to climate resilience.