Highways Agency

Chief Executive's Foreword

I am delighted to present this report of the achievement and performance of the Highways Agency in 2000/2001. This year was one of considerable success for the Agency in delivering the targets set by Ministers; it was also one of immense importance for the future of the Agency, following the publication of the Government's 10 Year Plan for Transport.

The 10 Year Plan underlined the vital importance of the strategic road network to the country's economic and social development, and set out a plan for major investment - some £21 billion - to maintain and develop the network. In October 2000 the Agency published its proposals for taking forward the 10 Year Plan in Strategic Roads 2010. Much of the focus for the Agency in the 10 Year Plan is on how it can contribute to improving safety and reducing congestion on the network. The Agency also has important wider contributions to make to developing integrated transport solutions and to supporting sustainable development, including solutions to minimise the impact of its network on the environment.

The 10 Year Plan sets ambitious targets for the Agency. The scale of the targets themselves, and how the Agency should best organise itself and its supply chain to deliver them, is challenging and will require the Agency to modernise its systems and priorities. The record of financial performance, service delivery and organisational development set out in this report provides an important platform of strength on which the Agency is now building to deliver its services.

The year also saw the publication of the Agency's first Corporate Plan. This set out how the Agency needed to change itself and modernise its own practices to deliver better services for its customers.

The Agency delivers the majority of its services through third parties, indeed some 96% of its expenditure pays for services and developments procured from companies - contractors, consultants, IT suppliers, maintaining agents, maintenance contractors, etc. The quality of the service provided by the Agency is therefore critically dependent on the quality of its own procurement methods, and the standards of service it receives from its suppliers. The Agency is committed to staying at the forefront of procurement practice in the public sector, but I would also like to acknowledge the important contribution made to the Agency's successes by it's suppliers.

None of the achievements recorded in this report would have been possible without the high standard of professionalism and enthusiasm for good service that are the hallmarks of the Agency's staff. I would like to express my appreciation to them. The Agency's commitment to good staff management and communications was reflected in the award of Investors in People accreditation in October 2000.

The Agency will continue to build on its successes reported for 2000/2001 as it moves forward in implementing the 10 Year Plan. It is committed to providing a better service for road users and for the communities it serves.