Government announces new roads investment
In the recent Autumn Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced further investment into the transport infrastructure across England. This investment is designed to reduce congestion, improve journey times and boost economic benefits to cities around the country. A variety of traffic surveys, journey time investigations and other data collection is likely to be required in order to identify exactly where the investment is needed, and what sort of plans are required.
Key pinch points targeted
Overall, the government is planning to invest an additional £1.1bn into roads and local transport, upgrading in key places and focusing on those areas where severe congestion occurs. In the detail of the Autumn Statement, this expenditure is allocated as follows:
- £220m to ease congestion ‘at critical points on the strategic road network’. No specific plans have yet been announced.
- £390m investment in future technologies, including electric vehicle charging points, support for low emission public transport vehicles, money for the development of alternative fuel options for aviation and HGVs, and additional investment in the research and testing of driverless car technology.
- £100m towards flood prevention and resilience, particularly focused on those road systems which have suffered from flood damage in recent years.
- £27m of development funding for the Oxford-Cambridge expressway, via Milton Keynes, opening a growth corridor from east to west.
Road and traffic survey results
In addition, the government is looking at five key road systems, following studies carried out by the Department for Transport. As part of the 2020-2025 Roads Investment Strategy, road improvements will be carried out on the A66 and the M60 North West quadrant, with further investigation underway into the case for improvements to the A1 in the East of England, and better connections between Sheffield and Manchester.
Traffic survey support from RDS
At Road Data Services, we work with local authorities, government departments, developers and contractors to assess current road usage and provide key data to help parties make the best possible decisions. From motorway journey time surveys through to parking data and automated traffic counts, we can help deliver key data to a wide range of private and public projects. To find out more, contact us today.
