HIGHWAYS
The road to nowhere? O
ur nation’s roads have become a battleground in recent years, with
authorities facing political pressure from environmentalists who seem determined to reduce funding for roads and the pro- car lobbies calling for something to be done about congestion.
Whatever their viewpoint, most people will agree that something must be done. But given that most people hold a misconception over who is responsible for those roads, bringing about that change might prove tricky.
“Many people don’t seem to understand that the Highways Agency is only responsible for funding capital projects on the motorways and the A14,” says RAC Foundation. director Professor Stephen Glaister.
“Essentially, the Agency has a very particular function, which is to manage the roads which it is responsible for, along with a few enhancements. The Agency also manages a bigger portfolio of roads but most of those are funded by the regional development agencies, as they are deemed ‘roads of regional importance’.
“The idea was that the RDAs would have budgets which they would have full autonomy over. However, the Labour government had indicated that it might bring some of those roads back under the control of central government, making them roads of national importance. Whether
34 pse Stephen Glaister
that got any further than just being an intention, I could not say.”
The situation is further confused by the fact that alongside the Highways Agency and some RDAs, a number of other major roads are the responsibility of local authorities.
“In the past, responsibility for the funding of these roads was moved from central government to local authorities in a process called de-trunking.”
This confused current state of affairs means that apart from central government, there is no one who has strategic autonomy over Britain’s roads.
“Unlike Network Rail, which has an important degree of independence from government and a duty to promote the long term future of the railway, the Highways Agency is not required to take a strategic position about the long term requirements of the strategic road network. And that is the problem, because no one holds that responsibility.”
Professor Glaister believes this
Investment in roads has become something of a dirty word but given the amount of congestion on our roads, it is crucial that funding for roads is maintained at sensible levels. Public Sector Executive asked Professor Stephen Glaister what the government should do to keep us all moving
vacuum needs to be addressed.
“I certainly think that there needs to be a review of what the strategic road network should look like. As it is a major policy issue it is not for me to say how it should look, but there is a question which must be asked over how the government defines the strategic road network to ensure that it is adequately maintained and has adequate capacity. But unfortunately it seems to be something which we have forgotten about in this country.”
This situation is in contrast to that of rail, where the government seems far clearer on its responsibilities towards the strategic rail network.
Some have attributed this disorganisation around the strategic road network to, amongst other things, the political motives of a government which only wants to be seen as promoting environmentally friendly forms of transport, whereas investment in roads is seen as being bad for the environment. Does he agree?
“I think that it is a reasonable summary of the situation but I don’t, of course, accept that this policy is delivering what they say it is delivering or that it is particularly green.
“The fundamental truth, which no one wants to face up to, is that the road network is far more important to this country than either rail or bus services
Jul/Aug 10
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