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Out goes Highways Agency, in comes Highways England

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9 December 2014

Highways
Highway to Hell: The Agency will be gone

THE Highways Agency will be a thing of the past next year.

From April 2015 the Highways Agency will be replaced with Highways England.

The renamed agency will be responsible for delivering over 100 new road schemes between now and the end of next parliament it said.

Roads Minister John Hayes commented:

“This government is making a transformational £15 billion worth of improvements to our road network between now and 2021. It is only right that the new government-owned company has a name that reflects its new role, as a road operator that delivers a fast, efficient and better service for road users and the country.”

Commenting on the announcement Malcolm Bingham, the FTA’s head of road network management policy, said:

“FTA has supported the change in the function of the Highways Agency; now the new title of Highways England will reflect the remit of the new organisation which we believe is important. The new organisation will provide a developing Strategic Road Network of motorways and trunk roads for the next 5 years. FTA has been and will continue to work closely with the new governance arrangements to ensure that the road freight users’ voice is fully represented.”

The renaming of the Highways Agency to Highways England is part of the Infrastructure Bill which is expected to receive Royal Assent by March 2015.

The Bill will also provide for a strategic road network monitor role which will be undertaken by the Office of Rail Regulation, who will publish information on the performance of the new Highways England and will have the power to take action for poor performance.

The Bill will also see Passenger Focus renamed Transport Focus, to provide road users with a stronger voice in how roads are managed and maintained. It is expected to receive Royal Assent by March 2015.

 

 

 

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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