GRAHAM, alongside client National Highways and design partner Sweco, has been recognised with the Collaborative Delivery Award at the Highways UK Excellence Awards 2026, celebrating the outstanding teamwork, technical expertise and integrated approach that underpinned the successful delivery of the £125m M25 Junction 28 improvement scheme.
The award recognises the collaborative culture that drove the project from design through to delivery, with teams across National Highways, GRAHAM, Sweco and the wider supply chain working as one to overcome complex engineering, operational and stakeholder challenges. Through early engagement, shared accountability and a commitment to achieving the best outcome for road users, the team successfully delivered a major upgrade to one of the UK’s busiest motorway interchanges.
Setting a new benchmark for collaborative delivery
Beyond the scale and complexity of the engineering works, the project demonstrated how a fully integrated approach can drive better outcomes across every stage of delivery.
From the outset, National Highways, GRAHAM, Sweco and key stakeholders worked collaboratively to align objectives, establish clear responsibilities and embed operational requirements into project planning. By treating operational readiness and asset handover as integral parts of delivery, rather than end-stage activities, the team ensured that challenges were identified early and resolved collectively.
Early engagement with National Highways operations teams, Transport for London and maintenance stakeholders helped establish clear asset requirements, streamline decision-making and maintain momentum throughout the programme. This collaborative approach enabled the project team to navigate complex interfaces, manage risk effectively and maintain a shared focus on delivering a successful outcome.
The strength of this partnership was further demonstrated through a successful Stage Gate Assessment Review, which achieved green outcomes with no outstanding actions, reflecting the quality of planning, governance and teamwork embedded throughout the project lifecycle.
This integrated way of working ensured the infrastructure was not only delivered successfully but was also ready to support safe, efficient and reliable operation from day one, providing lasting benefits for road users and stakeholders alike.
Andy Salmon, National Highways Programme Leader, described the achievement as “unprecedented in the Regional Delivery Partnership” and “a testament to the excellent collaborative working of our integrated teams over the past seven years.”