Highways England

Improving officer safety for Highways England with the Sepura SC20 radio

Challenge

With over 4,300 miles of road to manage and constant exposure to noisy, wet, and challenging conditions, Highways England's traffic officers needed a reliable, durable communication tool to ensure safety and smooth operations.

Solution

The SC20 TETRA radio’s tough design, loud audio, and ability to run intelligent applications made it the ideal choice for Highways England, with over 700 devices purchased to support traffic officers in their daily operations across the country.

Benefits

The SC20’s clear audio and rugged design enable Highways England’s officers to stay in touch even in noisy, wet, or dusty environments, ensuring critical messages are always heard and officers remain connected to control rooms for seamless operations.

Highways England officer standing by roadside and vehicle, using a Sepura radio
A Sepura SC20 hand-portable radio being held in front of a Highways England vehicle

Ensuring effective communication for Highways England officers in tough environments

Highways England is responsible for managing over 4,300 miles of road across the country, including major motorways and A roads that carry a significant portion of the nation’s traffic. The Traffic Officers who patrol these roads must have reliable, clear communication tools to keep operations running smoothly and ensure safety.

Given the diverse and often challenging environments in which they work, the need for high-quality, durable radios capable of withstanding harsh conditions is paramount. With constant exposure to noisy roadside environments, wet conditions, and the need for effective communication across long distances, reliable radios are crucial for keeping officers in constant contact with one another and control rooms.

The SC20 has a number of features that will undoubtedly enhance the safety of our officers when on patrol or attending incidents. The loud, clear audio is a key factor, ensuring that even when large goods vehicles are passing close by, critical messages can still be heard. In addition to this, the rugged design of the radio ensures that even in wet, dirty conditions, our staff will be able to rely on their radio to continue working for them.

Al Edwards, Technology Operations Manager, Highways England

Highways England officer standing by a motorway in a high-vis jacket, using a Sepura radio
Two Highways officers sat in a vehicle, the closest using a Sepura radio

Enhancing communication with the Sepura SC20 radio

To meet these challenges, Highways England upgraded its fleet of radios, investing in Sepura’s SC20 TETRA radios. As long-time users of Sepura products, they were confident that the SC20 would enhance their communications infrastructure. The SC20’s rugged design, clear audio, and ability to run intelligent applications made it the ideal choice for their traffic officers.

The SC20 radio features loud, clear audio, which is essential for effective communication in noisy roadside environments, such as heavy traffic and large goods vehicles. Additionally, the SC20 is built to withstand extreme conditions, with IP68 environmental protection ensuring the radio remains operational in wet, dirty, or dusty environments. Its large, tough screen remains visible even in challenging weather conditions, allowing officers to access critical information at all times.

Improved officer safety and operational efficiency for Highways England

The SC20 radios have significantly enhanced Highways England’s critical communications, enabling the Traffic Officers to remain in constant contact with control rooms and other officers, ensuring that operations continue smoothly. The combination of rugged durability, clear audio, and intelligent application capabilities ensures that Highways England’s officers are well-equipped to handle the demanding environments they work in.

Enhance reliability and safety

Learn more about the award-winning SC20 and Sepura's robust hand-portable radios.