National Highways

Wiltshire: A303 and A36 road closures confirmed by National Highways

Sections of two busy Wiltshire roads will close overnight for more than two months. National Highways has confirmed that stretches of the A303 and A36 near Wylye, Wiltshire, will be affected by works that are expected to run between 20 July and 30 September, with full closures in place from 8pm to 6am, says the Salisbury Journal. On the […]

MP uses signs to protest at road improvement funding cut

The MP for Newark has put up signs next to the A46 past the town criticising the expected decision to scrap a project which would have seen it turned into a dual carriageway. Although no official decision has been announced, it is widely believed the 6.6km (4 mile) scheme will be dropped as part of […]

Road closures to start near Welsh border after 2024 Herefordshire landslip

Road closures are set to begin as part of plans to remove traffic management, almost two and a half years after a major landslip on the A40 between Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, says the Hereford Times. Delays and diversions have been in place since February 2024 following a rockfall at Ganarew, Monmouthshire, which closed the northbound […]

Roads Research Alliance to deliver breakthrough innovations for safer, greener and smarter roads

Through a first of its kind collaboration between National Highways, industry and the University of Cambridge, the Roads Research Alliance (RRA) is driving research and innovation across the roads sector. The Roads Research Alliance brings together global expertise from across engineering, digital technology, and academia to accelerate research into decarbonisation, climate resilience, digital transformation and network productivity. Mike Wilson, Chief […]

Government confirms £800m of transport cuts

The Treasury has issued more details of proposed cuts to fund more spending on defence, including £800 million from the Department for Transport budget. In a policy paper entitled “The Defence Investment Plan Funding explainer“, the cuts will be made between now and 2030, with £100 million less spending in 2026-27, then cuts of £200 […]

New crash testing launched after hidden HGV safety risk identified

National Highways has initiated a series of crash tests with Euro NCAP and other European road safety bodies after identifying a serious risk on England’s motorways and major A-roads. Testing focused on rear-end collisions involving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs),specifically where a smaller vehicle – typically a car- strikes the back of a HGV. In 2024, […]

Skanska cancels order for A46 Newark bypass improvement scheme

The Tier 1 supplier Skanska has agreed to cancel a contract with National Highways to build the A46 Newark bypass in Nottinghamshire. In a statement, the construction company said: “Skanska has received a cancellation of the contract from National Highways to deliver the upgrade of a four mile (6.6 kilometre) stretch of the A46 Newark […]

South Gloucestershire leaders ‘flabbergasted’ by new M49 ghost junction delays

Opposition Conservative councillors have accused South Gloucestershire Council’s Lib Dem-Labour administration of ‘failing to provide leadership’ over the M49 ghost junction debacle. Last week National Highways, which finished most of the construction work seven years ago at a cost of £50 million, revealed ‘defects’ had been discovered at the two-bridge roundabout near Bristol linking Severnside and Avonmouth, along […]

Buckinghamshire: A404 lay-bys set to be closed for maintenance works

Lay-bys on the A404 in Buckinghamshire are to be temporarily shut for maintenance work. The affected lay-bys run between the A404(M) at Junction 9B and the Handy Cross Interchange (M40 Junction 4), says the Bucks Free Press. National Highways has made the decision to close these lay-bys in the interest of road safety while contractors […]