Road Expo Scotland and Bridges Scotland opens to strong industry turnout

The co-located events, taking place over 26-27 November, have attracted visitor registrations 12% higher than last year, reflecting growing industry demand for technical content and networking opportunities.

The events welcomed Scotland’s cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, who delivered the opening ministerial keynote address. Her appearance underscored the Scottish Government’s commitment to infrastructure development as the country works towards its Net Zero 2045 targets.

“The response from the industry has been excellent,” said Gordon Kirk, sector head of transport exhibitions at Hemming Group. “We’re seeing real engagement across both the exhibition floor and our conference theatres. The quality of discussion around critical issues like operational carbon reduction, digital transformation, and Scotland’s skills challenge demonstrates the vital role these events play in bringing the sector together.”

Day one’s programme has tackled some of the most pressing challenges facing Scotland’s infrastructure sector. Highlights included a panel discussion on tackling operational carbon in Scotland’s road network, featuring representatives from Transport Scotland, Amey, WSP, Kier, and HAUC, as well as sessions on active travel in Glasgow, EV charging infrastructure, and the A9 Dualling Programme update.

The Bridges Scotland theatre, sponsored by Acrow, saw strong attendance for sessions on timber bridges in Scotland, the New White Cart Crossing in Paisley, and National Highways’ Structures Moonshot programme, alongside new Ignite Sessions showcasing emerging technologies.

New for 2025, the Ten-Minute Tech Talks format has proved popular, giving exhibitors a platform to showcase cutting-edge solutions in compact, accessible presentations. Topics today ranged from recycled aggregate and remotely operated signals to cold-applied reinstatement solutions.

Transport Scotland’s participation as Headline Partner has been a significant draw, with their stand attracting considerable visitor interest throughout the day. The exhibition floor has been busy with exhibitors reporting strong engagement and productive discussions with potential customers and partners.
The events continue tomorrow with further conference sessions covering road condition monitoring, digital roads, climate resilience, and addressing the bridges sector skills shortage. All sessions remain free to attend for registered visitors.

Road Expo Scotland and Bridges Scotland 2026 will return to SEC Glasgow on 24-25 November 2026.