Road reform continues to deliver for road users and taxpayers, says new report
A major reform of the funding, management and oversight of England’s busiest roads has produced significant benefits, according to a new evaluation. The government’s reform programme, which began in 2014/15, has delivered better value for money for taxpayers, led to more efficient planning of road maintenance and upgrades and provided greater confidence for the supply […]
Development Consent Order application accepted for A66 Trans-Pennine scheme
The Development Consent Order application for National Highways’ A66 Trans-Pennine scheme has been accepted. The £1bn A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project will lead to dualling the remaining single carriageway sections of the dualled and key junctions between M6 Junction 40 (Penrith) and the A1 at Scotch Corner improved. National Highways submitted its application on Tuesday 21 […]
Rhinophalt asphalt preservation helps M40 to be named England’s best motorway by road users
The M40 has been rated the motorway with the best journey experience in England in a survey of drivers by the independent watchdog, Transport Focus. In the latest Strategic Roads User Survey the motorway between London and Birmingham had the highest overall satisfaction at 79 per cent, with motorists particularly praising the road surface. The M40 has […]
National Highways looks forward with ‘bold’ new approach to roadworks
National Highways is developing a series of measures to reduce the impact of billions of pounds worth of vital work being carried out on the Strategic Road Network. This includes an increase in the use of higher speed limits past work sites where it is safe to do so, clearer messaging for drivers, more effective […]
ORR finds National Highways met its road investment strategy targets in 2021-22, but raises concerns about three critical areas of delivery
ORR finds National Highways met its road investment strategy targets in 2021-22, but raises concerns about three critical areas of delivery ORR holds National Highways to account for its performance across the SRN, as set out in government’s second road investment strategy (RIS2). ORR sets out its view of how the company performed between April […]
National Highways publishes Annual Report
National Highways has published its Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, Efficiency Report 2021-22, and the Delivery Plan Update for 2022-23. The publications are available here. The Annual Report and Accounts outlines its progress towards achieving key performance indicators for the second road period, in the second year of this road period. This highlights National Highways’ strategic performance, including its progress […]
World-first platooning trial finds technology is safe
A multi-year trial to ascertain the effectiveness of platooning technology on the UK road network has drawn its conclusions, and found that the technology could be safely used. The HelmUK trial of platooning across the strategic road network – the first realistic platooning trial to have taken place on a live road network globally– saw […]
National Highways asks supply chain to confirm anti-fraud policies as concern mounts
National Highways has asked his contractors to provide details of their anti-fraud and corruption policies after on-going concern about potential problems on major roads projects. In a letter to contractors National Highway, has given Tier 1 contractors 14 days to provide copies of their current economic crime policies and associated supporting documents as well as […]
Making National Highways Sustainable – important plans on this week’s Highways Voices podcast
“There’s something like 46 action plans now, across the company, I’m really clear that what we can’t do is have a big central team that is delivering on carbon, and everyone else carries on working as they did before,” explains National Highways’ Director of Environmental Sustainability Steve Elderkin on this week’s Highways Voices podcast. “Carbon […]
Balfour Beatty rolls out automated cone laying machines
Balfour Beatty has become the first construction company in the UK to roll out Automated Cone Laying Machines, a new pioneering technology to reduce the risks associated with cone laying activities across its Highways operations. Whilst cone laying remains essential to delineate traffic during maintenance works, it also poses one of the biggest risks facing […]