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

  • Government needs to support ultra low emission HGV market as well
    September 2, 2016
    The Freight Transport Association has reacted positively to a new report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee into sustainability in transport policy. In the report, the Committee states that fiscal support will be needed along with regulatory reform to develop the market in ultra-low emission vehicles. For cars it suggests reform to company car taxation, and for vans a reform to the weight limitations on alternatively powered vehicles.
  • ACE report: private sector and user-pay for English roads
    May 16, 2018
    It’s one minute to midnight for funding England’s roads, according to a timely new report - and the clock’s big hand is pointing to some form of user-pay solution, reports David Arminas. Is there any way out of future user-pay funding for England’s highway infrastructure? The answer is a resounding ‘no’, according to the recently-published report Funding Roads for the Future. The 25-page document by the London-based Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) calls for a radical rethink about how to
  • Twenty year vision for Birmingham city transport
    November 14, 2014
    A white paper setting out Birmingham’s 20-year vision for improving transport across the city is set to be unveiled today. Birmingham Connected aims to make the city safer and easier to travel around by reducing congestion and promoting more sustainable forms of transport. Initiatives in the plan include the completion of a US$1.9 billion public transport network within 20 years and the development of Green Travel Districts to enable people to walk, cycle or take public transport safely. A feasibilit
  • IAM shocked by the worst speeders in England and Wales
    February 12, 2015
    The UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has lifted the lid on the worst examples of excessive speeding caught on safety cameras across England and Wales in 2014. Britain’s two worst speeders were caught at 146mph, both by Kent Police on the M25, one travelling anti-clockwise, the other going clockwise. There were three other recorded instances of speeds of 140mph or more; 145mph on the M6 toll road (70mph limit), 141mph on the A1 Great Ponton Northbound road (70mph limit) and 140mph on the A5 C