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

  • The great pay divide
    April 2, 2014
    Public acceptance is crucial for the acceptance of managed and express lanes as Jon Masters discovers. Lists of proposed highway expansion projects introducing variably priced toll lanes continue to lengthen. Managed lanes, or express lanes to some, are gaining support as a politically favourable way of adding capacity and reducing acute congestion on principal highways. In Florida, for example, the managed lanes on the 95 Express are claimed to have significantly increased average peak-time speeds on tolle
  • Meeting overview and highlights
    April 15, 2013
    This year's Annual Meeting and Exposition in Nashville, Tenn., features more public sector participation than ever before. The event will kick off on Sunday, April 21 with a State DOT Roundtable featuring 20 State DOT CEOs from across the country, as well as feature senior US Department of Transportation (DOT) officials including Under Secretary for Policy Polly Trottenberg, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland, Federal Motor Carrier Saf
  • Cut freight deliveries – improve Southampton’s air quality
    November 23, 2018
    Taking the pressure off cities’ road networks can have a beneficial effect on the environment. David Crawford looks at a new economic model which seeks to quantify the societal effect of freight traffic in Southampton, one of the UK’s five most polluted cities Cuts of 60% or more in volumes of freight deliveries are being predicted - along with badly-needed improvements in air quality - from a load consolidation scheme currently being introduced in the UK port city of Southampton. The forecasts are based o
  • Acusensus phone-detection units arrive on English roads
    August 1, 2023
    Australian road safety company says trailer units will be positioned on selected highways