Highways Agency replacement launches next week

Highways England, the Government-owned company which replaces the Highways Agency, officially launches next week.

The company will invest £11 billion in delivering a raft of improvements on England’s motorways and major A roads making roads even safer, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.

Graham Dalton, chief executive of Highways England said: "The launch of Highways England is an incredibly significant moment for those who rely on England’s motorways and major A roads.

“As well as delivering the biggest investment in major roads since the 1970s, there will be fundamental changes to the way motorways and major A roads are maintained and operated.

"We will be focusing on customers, providing better travel information before and during journeys, improving safety and reducing the impact of roadworks.

“Highways England is the organisation that will meet this challenge. We are committed to a strategic road network in England that is far safer, more free-flowing and more integrated and supports economic growth across the country.”

Highways England will be responsible for 4,300 miles of network, including 16,000 structures, which connect communities and its customers, such as logistics and freight companies, industries, walkers, cyclists and equestrians, who travel 85 billion miles every year.

The delivery plan, published today, is the detailed response to the Government’s road investment strategy, a long-term approach to improving England’s major roads.

It shows how success will be measured against the performance specification set by Government and how the organisation will be transformed to perform more efficiently and deliver five strategic outcomes: supporting economic growth, a safe and serviceable network, a more free-flowing network, an improved environment and a more accessible and integrated network.

Oversight of Highways England will come from the Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation, who will monitor the performance and efficiency of the company and Transport Focus who will act as the watchdog for road users.