Strategic roads (including motorways) serve England well. However a new report will argue their focus is narrow, representing just 2% of carriageways across the country covering less than 7100 km.
This long awaited study prepared by renowned highway specialists David Quarmby and Phil Carey, due to be published in Autumn 2016, expands on how significant changes will be proposed to the way England’s principal roads are defined and managed. Their main proposal is designating a much broader Major Road Network (MRN) covering not only strategic roads but a further 5800km of major local A routes.
Currently UK roads are thought of as primarily strategic- motorways and A-roads. Quarmby and Carey argue that attention should be focused on a new hybrid group of economically important roads. They hope this much broader concept will better reflect the important role major roads play in the economy and help these routes attract the funding they deserve.
One area for debate is whether there is enough resource in the National Road Fund to support both Highways England’s strategic network and the proposed 8000 mile Major Road Network.
To find out more about the MRN Study visit www.futureroadsenglad.org
BBS has constructed over 1000km of concrete safety barrier across HE’s strategic network and welcomes the opportunity for its proven safety systems to be constructed on the new MRN. https://www.bbsbarriers.com/highway/