Skip to main content

‘Expressways’ a move in the right direction to improve UK roads

“A move in the right direction” is the message from the Freight Transport Association today – responding to the news that a new class of what it calls continental-style ‘expressways’ are to be developed as part of the Highways Agency (HA) Road Investment Strategy. FTA has said it is in support of the development of ‘expressways’ on major A roads across the country and considers them to be a step forward to improve the reliability and safety on some of the major routes across the UK.
March 23, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
RSS“A move in the right direction” is the message from the 6983 Freight Transport Association today – responding to the news that a new class of what it calls continental-style ‘expressways’ are to be developed as part of the 503 Highways Agency (HA) Road Investment Strategy.

FTA has said it is in support of the development of ‘expressways’ on major A roads across the country and considers them to be a step forward to improve the reliability and safety on some of the major routes across the UK.

HA has presented the strategy to Parliament as part of an US$16.3 billion roads revolution to be announced this week.

FTA’s head of Road Policy, Malcolm Bingham explained: “FTA supports the concept of developing and improving England’s strategic road network. The concept of developing ‘expressways’ on A roads is good news, and has to be a step forward to improve the reliability and safety on these vial strategic corridors. We have seen significant improvement on the A1 between Peterborough and Doncaster by creating a free flowing a road around some previously notorious junctions.  Routes such as the one to the south west of England should also benefit from this type of road upgrade.”

The Road Investment Strategy was presented by the Highways Agency ahead of it being transformed on 1 April into the new private sector roads operator called Highways England.

Highways England will have longer-term funding to be able to plan ahead and invest in skills and equipment to speed up essential work. The move is part of a radical package of road reform that is expected to save the taxpayer at least US$3.8billion over the next 10 years.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Commuting habits come under scrutiny
    March 28, 2017
    Cities have a moral responsibility to encourage the smart use of transportation and Andrew Bardin Williams hears a few suggestions. Given the choice of getting a root canal, doing household chores, filing taxes, eating anchovies or commuting to work, nearly two-thirds of Americans said that they wouldn’t mind commuting into work—at least according to a poll conducted by Xerox (now Conduent) over its social media channels at the end of 2016.
  • UK well positioned to benefit from autonomous lorries, says Inrix
    September 24, 2018
    Driver shortage, commercially-viable roads and Brexit uncertainty position the UK to develop and benefit from autonomous freighting, says Inrix. The analytics company's latest report has identified the A1 from Sheffield to Edinburgh as the most suitable corridor for testing highly automated vehicles (HAV). The Inrix Automated Freight Corridor Assessment reveals the next best-suited corridor is the M5/A38 from Plymouth to Birmingham, followed by the M4 from Swindon to Swansea.
  • Live demonstrations at 2010 ITS annual meeting
    August 2, 2012
    The practical, day-to-day co-working which goes on at Houston TranStar will form a major part of the demonstrations at the 2010 Annual Meeting, says co-chair of the organising committee Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Chief of Police Thomas C. Lambert.
  • Highways England strategic business plan promises more smart motorways
    December 12, 2014
    Improved customer service, better planning and stronger relationships are at the heart of a five-year plan which sets out how England’s motorways and major A roads will be modernised, maintained and operated between 2015 and 2020. The pledges are made in the first Strategic Business Plan published by Highways England, which focuses on modernising, maintaining and operating the network, making specific commitments, including modernising core motorways and upgrading some of the most important major routes to