Highways Agency

Message from the Chief Executive

Protecting and enhancing the environment is an increasingly important role for the Highways Agency and we have a strong track record in environmental management. In the winter of 2000/01 alone, we planted nearly a million trees and shrubs. Our Biodiversity Action Plan sets out how we intend to build on these foundations.

We are developing our role as a network operator, and with it a wider vision to work with others in pursuit of the best use of roads and of other non-road alternatives. We need to maintain a balance between our responsibility to develop and operate the strategic road network effectively and our responsibility to sustain and enhance the variety of plant and animal life that lives beside it.

In Strategic Roads 2010, our response to the Government's 10 Year Plan for Transport, we set a target to manage our network under Biodiversity Action Plans by 2006. A third of our network is already managed in this way. Our Biodiversity Action Plan describes how we will meet the 10 Year Plan challenge. We expect to spend around £15million over the next 10 years on delivering the Plan.

We cannot do this alone. Our staff will work with managing agents and consultants to implement the Plan. For instance, in the south-west, the Agency worked with its contractors to install otter bridges and culverts as part of 15 road schemes in the region, to protect otters that live alongside the area's roads.

Key to the success of the Biodiversity Action Plan will be the successful forging of partnerships with environmental and conservation organisations, neighbouring landowners, local authorities and other interested parties. We look forward to working with all these groups to promote biodiversity on our network.