Highway Care teamed up with leading highways industry players Balfour Beatty, Connect Plus, Connect Plus Services recently for the World Book Day launch of ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’; a children’s storybook by Chris Madeley inspired by our Falcon ACLM.

The four companies worked in collaboration with The Cone Book team to create the 20th book in the Cone Book series; a fun and educational initiative that helps children learn about safety and the construction industry with captivating stories. Illustrated by Emily Vaughan, the story features a collection of cone characters, who, this time, share their adventures with the ACLM.

The book was launched on World Book Day (March 7), thanks to a passion shared by all four companies to make the book accessible to as many young readers as possible by donating the book to children in schools. According to a World Book Day study, for 28 per cent of 8 to 11 year-olds who receive free school meals, the book ‘bought’ with a World Book Day token is the first they own. And, in 2017, the National Literacy Trust found that one in 9.4 per cent of children and young people did not have a book of their own at home, a statistic that rose to 13.1 percent amongst children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For this year’s World Book Day, ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ was a treat for its first young readers at five primary schools across the UK, located in areas close to the four stakeholder organisations’ operations. Highway Care’s Head of Communications & Marketing, Hayley Terrell and Engineering and Manufacturing Director, Adrian Bullock, visited Welbourn Church of England Primary School, near our Grantham depot to donate a book to each child, host a read along session and tell them all about the ACLM.

An immersive journey into the world of road safety, ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ features animated cone characters, whose adventures introduce primary school-aged children to the intricacies of innovation, automation, and engineering design. The cone characters learn all about the ACLM, as well as exploring the delights of engineering through the introduction of Spot the robot dog and drones.
The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ breaks new ground in children’s literature, combining storytelling with safety education to highlight the power of innovation to make roadworks safer. With a commitment to inclusivity, the book transcends cultural, racial, and religious boundaries, delivering a unique narrative designed to spark curiosity in young minds.
Hayley commented: “The cone Book series is a fantastic way to explain how roads work and talk to children about road safety, and ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ does all of that, while highlighting innovative solutions for a safer future and the careers available in the highways sector.

“At its core, ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ aims to inspire young minds to consider careers in the highways sector. By presenting animated cones navigating real-world challenges, the book seeks to instil a sense of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking in the next generation.”

For those eager to support the initiative, ‘The Cones and The Cone Laying Machine’ will be available for purchase on major online platforms, including Amazon, and corporate buyers seeking bulk rates are encouraged to connect directly with The Cone Books. Notably, the book will not be available in digital format, emphasising the goal of providing a tangible connection for children with reading and the book in their hands.
“It was brilliant to see the children enjoying the books and asking so many questions,” Hayley added, “perhaps we met some future engineers or highways operatives on our school visit – we certainly met lots of eager bookworms who were delighted to receive their free copy of the book and we hope many more will enjoy it in the months and years ahead.”