National Highways and government adviser for the natural environment, Natural England have signed an agreement they say marks a significant step towards achieving the vision of a connected country while conserving, enhancing and managing the natural environment.
Signed on the landscape-led A417 Missing Link project, a scheme that aims to deliver four miles of a safer road with free-flowing traffic while conserving and enhancing the special character, natural beauty and wildlife of the Cotswolds National Landscape, the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines the framework for collaboration between the two organisations.
Its primary aim is improving environmental outcomes along the Strategic Road Network (SRN).
Through this partnership, National Highways says it will work with Natural England to ensure that infrastructure development respects and enhances the natural world, and adding to natural and social capital as well as newly built structures, all of which are needed by society.
As one of the largest landowners in England, managing over 30,000 hectares, it adds it’s already committed to reconnecting habitats, reversing the decline in biodiversity, creating thriving ecosystems and increasing environmental resilience to a changing climate through our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
The government-owned company’s 2050 vision is to provide a road network that supports the country’s transport needs but also protects and strengthens the natural environment and community wellbeing, with this MoU taking another step on that journey.
The Designated Funds programme in the second roads investment period (2020-25), has seen £402.3m invested into environmental schemes, including those that maximise biodiversity and ensure conservation.
Our Executive Director of Major Projects Nicola Bell said: “Our work goes beyond just operating and maintaining our roads and by collaborating more closely with Natural England, we can ensure that our infrastructure projects deliver better outcomes for both people and nature.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for sustainable development that respects and enhances the natural world, helping to create a thriving, resilient environment for future generations.”
Natural England Chief Executive Marian Spain added: “Projects like the A417 showcase the positive outcomes for people and nature that can be achieved by working closely together. This memorandum is an important step in embedding this open, early, constructive communications between Natural England and National Highways to deliver our shared objectives of sustainable development.”
(Picture – National Highways)
