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Press release: Making it easier to drive through roadworks – responding to driver feedback

Drivers could be allowed to travel at increased speed through motorway roadworks depending on what day of the week they are travelling, under new plans from Highways England.

Following earlier trials to increase the speed limit through roadworks from 50mph to 55mph or even 60mph, the company is going to test if varying speed limits could safely be operated within a set of roadworks without increasing the risks to either drivers or road workers.

For example the speed could be increased to 60mph on a Sunday if there is less activity taking place, and then brought back down to 50mph when road workers are working within a few feet of passing traffic.

It is also exploring if different speed limits could operate within one set of roadworks. This could mean people commute to work on one carriageway at 50mph as they are nearer the workforce, but drive home on the other carriageway at 60mph as the road workers are further away.

Jim O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Highways England, said:

People understand roadworks are necessary but are also frustrated by them. At the same time we have to ensure as they drive through them that they, and our road workers, are safe.

So we are always thinking of new ways to improve journeys at the same time as keeping everyone as safe as we can. That is why over the next 12 months we will test changes to the design and operation of roadworks.

We are also working hard to give drivers more and better information about their journeys and to prepare our network for the future, for example the testing of roadside and vehicle technology, so we can continue to keep people, and the country, connected.

During roadworks narrow lanes are installed to provide a safe working area for the workforce. Doing this means as many lanes as possible can remain open to traffic. Currently Highways England operates a 50mph (or lower) limit in narrow lanes but this year they will test whether it is safe to operate at 60mph in certain circumstances. This might include consideration of the width of the narrow lanes or the type of temporary safety barriers that are used.

Locations for the trials are yet to be agreed. Once underway Highways England will monitor the speed of vehicles, flow of traffic, look at incident data and gather customer feedback to determine its success.

The trials are outlined in the company’s Delivery Plan Update for 2018/19, published today.

The Plan sets out how the company is continuing to deliver the Government’s £15 billion road investment programme (2015 to 2020).

It also includes:

  • making roads safer – planned major road projects and targeted safety schemes are forecast to prevent 200 deaths or serious injuries by 2020;
  • improving services to drivers by telling them what is going on in roadworks or traffic jams;
  • delivering major road schemes to create extra space for more traffic, ease congestion, and improve the reliability of journeys: during this year eight are due to open to traffic, work will start on six projects and 16 will be in construction;
  • maintaining and renewing the existing strategic road network – this will include resurfacing 1,118 lane miles of road surface: nearly the same number of lane miles as the entire M1 carriageway (1,248 lane miles);
  • keeping the network open to traffic by maximising lane availability so that it does not fall below 97% in one rolling year;
  • working overnight to reduce the impact on road users during the day – last year (March 2017 to Feb 2018) 85% of roadworks were completed overnight, a five per cent increase from the year before (April 2016 to November 2017);
  • clearing at least 85% of motorway incidents within one hour to give road users back the lanes they need;
  • reducing the impact of the strategic road network on its surroundings, be that on people living near the roads or the environment, such as through the special funds for noise mitigation (free double-glazing), air quality, biodiversity schemes, and investing in new litter bins at motorway service areas;
  • recruiting – growing Highways England as a company and working with the supply chain to retain and attract the skills needed. This includes increasing the number of apprentices and graduates.
  • looking to the future – continuing to explore and seek innovative approaches which could change the way roads are operated and maintained. Highways England will also progress the work with its industry partners on the research and testing into connected and autonomous vehicles.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Link: Press release: Making it easier to drive through roadworks – responding to driver feedback
Source: Gov Press Releases

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News story: The Environment Agency Publishes Annual Report 2017-18

Today the Environment Agency has published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2017-2018 outlining what has been achieved in the last financial year.

This report lays a positive foundation for the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan which has a clear ambition for our generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. The Environment Agency was closely involved in shaping the Plan, and it is now one of our main responsibilities to deliver it.

This year’s report highlights considerable progress that the Agency has made towards fulfilling the goals set out in our Action Plan up to 2020.

Over the past year the Environment Agency has:

  • Invested 1.3bn into protecting the environment.
  • Reduced its carbon footprint by 45% against the 2006 – 2007 baseline year.
  • Enhanced over 2,000km of river habitats.
  • Created over 1,500 acres of new habitat for wildlife.
  • Better protected over 45,000 additional homes from flooding this year.
  • Informed over 1.4 million people about our free Flood Warning Service.
  • Trained 6,500 staff to respond to flooding.
  • Reduced the number of serious and significant pollution incidents to their lowest levels since 2011.

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

The report demonstrates the commitment of all those who work for the Environment Agency to do the right thing for the environment, to create a better place for people and wildlife, and to go the extra mile for the communities we serve.

Over the course of the past year the Environment Agency has made good progress towards the goals set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, reducing pollution, enhancing habitats, protecting more homes from flooding and strengthening our incident response capabilities.

The Environment Agency is here to create a better place for people and wildlife, delivering flood protection and water security, regulating industry and supporting sustainable growth across the country.

To read the report click here.

Link: News story: The Environment Agency Publishes Annual Report 2017-18
Source: Environment Agency

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The Financial Market Infrastructure Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2018

These Rules give effect to Part 6 of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c. 33) (“the 2013 Act”). Part 6 provides for a special process for the administration of operators of certain financial market infrastructure systems (known as “FMI administration”), and restricts the powers of persons other than the Bank of England in relation to the insolvency of infrastructure companies. These Rules set out the procedure for FMI administration.

Link: The Financial Market Infrastructure Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2018
Source: Legislation .gov.uk