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

  • Gothenburg to implement congestion charging
    February 2, 2012
    Gothenburg, which is line to become Sweden's second major city to implement congestion charging, will not enjoy the pre-deployment trials and referendum which Stockholm did. But, says the STA's Eva Söderberg, this is less of an issue than might be imagined
  • FTA calls for greater reliability on road network following improvements at Dartford
    October 14, 2015
    Drivers using the Dartford Crossing at peak times are saving around an hour and a half every week thanks to Dart Charge, according to Highways England. New figures released by Highways England show that journeys over the Dartford Crossing, which cost £62million (US$95 million) to convert to free-flow tolling, are up to 56 per cent faster than before payment barriers were removed. Drivers at peak times save up to 14 minutes southbound and seven minutes northbound.
  • Australia to develop national smart managed motorways trial
    May 17, 2012
    Australia's 2011 federal government budget, announced yesterday, will provide AU$61.4 million over three years for the development of a national smart managed motorways trial to improve congestion, lower urban emissions, and expand the capacity of existing outer city road infrastructure networks.
  • Driven to distraction? Call Acusensus
    November 3, 2022
    Trial to detect mobile phone and seatbelt offences results in 216 prosecution notices