Highway infrastructure is often the first point of contact between a development and the people who use it, so getting the design right matters from day one. AJF Engineering provides director-led highway design for developers, contractors and public sector clients across Liverpool and the wider North West, delivering layouts that are safe, compliant with local authority standards and practical to build. Whether you need a simple private access road or complex junction improvements under a Section 278 agreement, our team of Chartered engineers manages every detail to keep your project moving. To discuss your scheme, you can get in touch with our team at any time.
We understand that highway approvals can feel like a hurdle. Delays, redesigns and technical queries can slow a programme and add cost. Our approach is built around clarity and early engagement, so potential issues are identified and resolved before they become blockers.
Why Choose AJF Engineering for Highway Design in Liverpool
AJF Engineering is a North West based civil and structural engineering consultancy delivering bespoke civil, structural, drainage and highways design solutions across the UK. We offer a refreshing, director-led service, which means senior engineers are involved in your Liverpool project from the outset rather than passing it down the line.
That structure protects your interests. Our directors oversee the strategic decisions on access and adoption, helping to avoid costly redesigns later in the process. We design roads that work in the real world, considering constructability at every stage and avoiding over-engineered solutions that are difficult or expensive to build.
Our reputation is reflected in excellent Google reviews and long-standing relationships with developers, contractors and public sector bodies. We have delivered a range of Liverpool projects, including Gildart Street, Aintree Racecourse, Moss Lane and the Baltic Triangle, giving us practical insight into the requirements of local schemes and the authorities that assess them.
Our Highway Design Services
We provide a full spectrum of highway design services tailored to the needs of each Liverpool development. By keeping our design work in-house, we ensure full coordination with drainage and civil engineering elements, delivering an infrastructure package that functions efficiently on site.
Private and Adoptable Highway Design
Understanding the distinction between private and adoptable infrastructure is central to a successful scheme.
- Adoptable highways (Section 38): We design new estate roads intended for adoption by the local highway authority, complying with local standards and the Manual for Streets to smooth the adoption process and reduce future maintenance liabilities.
- Private access roads: For roads that remain private, we design robust, cost-effective solutions that prioritise function and durability while meeting planning conditions.
- Industrial and commercial access: We design heavy-duty pavements and access routes matched to the traffic loading and operational needs of commercial sites across Liverpool.
Section 278 Junction Improvements
Works within the existing public highway require rigorous approval under Section 278 of the Highways Act. We have extensive experience securing these agreements, from junction design and technical approval management through to coordinating Road Safety Audits at every stage. Our s278 highway works and access design experience helps ensure new junctions integrate safely with the existing network.
Visibility Splays and Safety Assessments
Adequate visibility is a fundamental safety requirement at any new access point. We commission and analyse speed surveys, then calculate and plot visibility splays using the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and Manual for Streets. Where a Liverpool site is constrained, we work creatively within boundaries to achieve compliant sightlines and satisfy visibility splay requirements.
Vehicle Tracking and Swept Path Analysis
Using industry-standard software, we produce swept path analysis that demonstrates refuse wagons, fire appliances, delivery vehicles and cars can navigate a site safely. This tracking data also helps us refine road widths and turning heads, so infrastructure remains fit for purpose without being over-designed.
Pedestrian, Cycle and Ancillary Design
Modern developments must prioritise sustainable travel. We integrate high-quality footways, cycle facilities, safe crossings and fully accessible features such as tactile paving and dropped kerbs. Our designs also cover pavement and kerbing design, highway signage and road markings design, street furniture and vehicle restraint systems, giving you a complete, buildable package.
Planning and Approval Support in Liverpool
Securing technical approval for highways drawings can be a lengthy process, and local authority standards vary between councils. We take a proactive approach, engaging with the relevant highway authority early to agree principles and resolve queries before they affect your programme.
Our support spans planning highways access statements, DMRB compliant highway design, technical approval management and local authority highways approvals. We also prepare highway adoption drawings and address as-built requirements for highway adoptions, so schemes move cleanly from design into construction and, where relevant, adoption. If you would like more detail on this process, our guide on how to ensure highway design meets local authority standards is a useful starting point.
Integrated Coordination with Drainage and Civils
Highways do not exist in isolation. Surface water management is closely linked to road construction, and lead local flood authorities expect robust strategies before approving paving works. We coordinate highway layouts with drainage strategies, site levels and utility corridors from the outset, incorporating adoptable highway drainage details and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems where appropriate.
Because our drainage, civils, highways and structural teams work under one roof, this integrated design minimises clashes on site and ensures the road network performs as part of the wider development. For Liverpool projects with challenging ground conditions or tight boundaries, that joined-up approach can make the difference between a straightforward approval and a costly redesign. You can view examples of our work across our project portfolio.
Chartered Expertise You Can Trust
Highway design demands a deep understanding of regulations, safety standards and engineering principles. AJF Engineering is led by Chartered Civil and Structural Engineers who ensure every design meets the highest professional standards.
Our Managing Director, Alex Fairhurst, is a Chartered Structural Engineer (MEng Hons, CEng, MIStructE). Associate Director Sulo Sitali is a Chartered Civil Engineer (MEng Hons, CEng, MICE) leading our drainage and civils design. Senior Civil Engineer Tom Dove (BEng Hons, IEng, CIHT) brings 15 years of experience across highway and drainage design in both public and private sectors, while Bazz Patel adds further expertise spanning highways, flood risk, public realm and master-planning. You can meet the wider team to see the people behind our projects.
We hold memberships with the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers, and we are a Constructionline Gold Member and a PQS SSIP Registered Member with Health and Safety Approved status. We are also a member of Wirral Chamber of Commerce and Cyber Essentials Certified, reflecting our commitment to technical rigour, safe working and secure data handling.
Start Your Highway Design Project
If you are planning a development in Liverpool, securing safe and compliant access is a critical milestone. Our practical, value-driven approach helps de-risk your project and provides a clear path through highway design and technical approvals. Get in touch with us today by calling 0151 374 0545 or emailing us at info@ajfengineering.co.uk to discuss a project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We deliver highway design across Liverpool and the wider North West for developers, contractors and public sector clients, covering private access roads, adoptable estate roads and Section 278 junction improvements. Share your site details and we will advise on the right approach.
We handle both. Our team manages Section 38 adoptable road design and Section 278 works within the existing highway, including technical approval management, Road Safety Audits and direct liaison with the local highway authority.
We engage with the relevant highway authority early to agree design principles and resolve queries before submission. This proactive approach, combined with DMRB compliant highway design and detailed drawings, reduces the risk of planning conditions or rejections.
Yes. Our drainage, civils and highways teams work in-house, so highway layouts are fully coordinated with drainage strategies, site levels and adoptable drainage details from day one, reducing clashes and redesigns on site.
Simply contact our team with your location, project type and any existing plans. We will review your requirements and recommend a clear, buildable route to approval and construction.
About Liverpool
Liverpool is a major city and metropolitan borough in the North West of England, sitting on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. Known for its maritime heritage, cultural landmarks and thriving waterfront, the city continues to see significant residential, commercial and mixed-use development across areas such as the Baltic Triangle, the city centre and its surrounding districts. With ongoing regeneration and a strong pipeline of new schemes, Liverpool relies on well-planned, compliant highway and infrastructure design to support safe access and sustainable growth, making it an ideal location for experienced civil and structural engineering support.