Skip to main content

Congestion-busting roads boost across England

A widespread congestion-busting road improvement programme worth hundreds of millions of pounds has now tackled 39 bottlenecks, with more than another 80 to be completed in the next seven months. According to the Highways Agency, the US$515 million ‘pinch point’ programme will cut congestion, increase safety and improve journey times and help support the creation of 300,000 new jobs and 144,000 homes. The improvement plans, part of the biggest programme of road enhancements since the 1970s, were dra
September 15, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
A widespread congestion-busting road improvement programme worth hundreds of millions of pounds has now tackled 39 bottlenecks, with more than another 80 to be completed in the next seven months.  

According to the 503 Highways Agency, the US$515 million ‘pinch point’ programme will cut congestion, increase safety and improve journey times and help support the creation of 300,000 new jobs and 144,000 homes.

The improvement plans, part of the biggest programme of road enhancements since the 1970s, were drawn up by the Highways Agency working with local councils and communities.

The 121 schemes are distributed across England’s major road network and include the A30 Loggans Moor roundabout and approach roads in Hayle, Cornwall, and the A1/A47 junction at Wansford, Cambridgeshire, as well as schemes in Hampshire, West Midlands and Hull.

Roads minister John Hayes said: “We are investing record amounts in motorways and major roads – and every one of these pinch point schemes will deliver benefits to thousands of drivers. Some of the benefits are immediate – such as improved road markings to help traffic flow better through a junction; in other cases the roads are being improved now so they can accommodate local development in the future.

“The completed schemes will together help support the creation of more than 300,000 new jobs and 144,000 new homes – so it’s good news for all road users, for local communities and the economy.”

Highways Agency divisional director Matt Sweeting said: “The pinch point programme, the bulk of which will be completed over the next seven months, provides smaller scale improvements that can deliver big returns by easing congestion and making journey times more reliable for road users, including hauliers and commuters; all of this will help boost local economies and drive economic growth.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Funding boost for ultra low emission vehicles
    October 14, 2016
    A major $US43 million (£35 million) package to boost the uptake of ultra-low emission cars and scooters has been unveiled by the UK government. The fresh funding commitment will see thousands more electric vehicle charge-points installed on streets and at workplaces across the UK, after the number of new ultra low emission vehicles registered rose by 250 per cent in just two years. The government is also buying two brand new Nissan LEAF electric cars for the Government Car Service, to add to the four
  • UTMC ANPR communications protocol aids traffic management
    January 30, 2012
    Telematics Technology's Peter Billington describes the effort to give English local authorities and police forces a UTMC ANPR open communication protocol. The story of the impact of communication protocols on the development and utilisation of intelligent equipment is a familiar one both inside and outside the ITS industry. At the outset, a company pioneering its latest technology invariably develops a proprietary protocol. This enables the company's products to talk to the customer systems which need to a
  • Researchers helping to reduce New Zealand’s congestion
    April 7, 2015
    Researchers at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand claim the impact of congestion in the country’s major cities could soon be greatly reduced. They are exploring how the movement of vehicles on New Zealand’s city roads can be more efficiently managed after accidents and breakdowns. University of Canterbury transport engineer Professor Alan Nicholson says their research shows drivers tend to divert off the motorway in large numbers only after a slow queue becomes visible. Along with Dr Glen Koorey and
  • UK councils to get power to enforce moving traffic offences
    December 21, 2016
    Local authorities in the UK are set to get the power to fine motorists for moving traffic offences. Control over the issuing of fines is set to move from the police, to local councils, should the proposals be approved next year. Currently, London boroughs are able to fine motorists for similar offences, while councils outside of London can only fine motorists over parking violations or for driving in bus lanes. However under the new plans, councils across the country will gain the power to issue fines fo