New plans announced to reform strategic road networks

The Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, has set out a programme of activity for reforming the strategic road network in England.

The programme is a response to the review carried out last year by Alan Cook, the then newly appointed non-executive chairman of the Highways Agency, into how motorways and major A-roads are operated, maintained and enhanced.
 
The Transport Secretary said that she had accepted many of the findings in Cook’s report ‘A Fresh Start for the Strategic Road Network’ which would help transform the Highways Agency into a “more efficient, business like and commercially focussed operator” which “does much more to listen and respond to the needs of road users.”
 
Views of all users, whether motorist or business, will be central to developing both the performance specification and the strategy - which will be published for consultation towards the end of this year.
 
There will be work with the Highways Agency and HM Treasury to consider how greater funding certainty and flexibility can be introduced for the strategic road network.
 
The programme of immediate work will start to address challenges set in the Cook review, bringing improvements in the short to medium term. More radical reforms may be introduced following the feasibility study being undertaken with HM Treasury.

For more information
www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases