Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Related pages

• Useful Information On Lighting
• Bridge Structures Frequently Asked Questions
• Frequently Asked Questions - Variable Message Signs (VMS)

Information about the Highways Agency

Breakdowns

• All reports of breakdowns should be passed to us by phone on 08457 50 40 30 rather than e-mail. This is because it may take up to 48 hours to read an e-mail and we need to respond to the breakdown as soon as possible.

Can I get the details of any information you hold on an incident on your network I was involved in?

It is possible to get this information from us for the purpose of completing an insurance claim however please be aware of the following criteria;

• In accordance with the Data Protection Act we can only release this information to either your insurance company or solicitor.
• The request must be made in writing, on headed paper and sent to - Highways Agency Information Line, NTCC, Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham, B32 1AF.
• The request must contain the full details of the incident (date, time and location), details of the client and the reason for the request.
• Any appropriate information we have will then be sent to your insurer or solicitor.

Confirmation of delays

If you have missed an appointment or flight etc due to a delay on one of the roads on our network and require a letter confirming the delay please send an e-mail to ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk with the following details;

• The date and time you began your journey,
• The exact route taken including departure and arrival points,
• The time you had to arrive at your destination,
• The exact route taken,
• The road(s) you were delayed on,
• The actual time of arrival at your destination or at what time you abandoned your journey.
• An address for us to post the information to as all requests are responded to by post.

CCTV footage required

If you require CCTV footage of an incident you have been involved in please be aware of the following before requesting any footage we may hold;

• Our cameras are installed to see overall traffic conditions, not individual vehicles.
• We do not have cameras in all areas pointing in all directions, consequently the chances of having a camera in the area and pointing in the right direction is limited.
• If an image of the incident is available then, generally, it will not be zoomed in and may not show details such as number plates and faces.
• If the images show another vehicle's details, such as the number plate, we may not be able to release this information to the public under Data Protection Act. This would result in the images being released with any details being obscured blurred.
• Images are only held for a maximum of seven days and this may be less depending on traffic volumes.
• If images are available and releasable you will be asked to provide two items of identification prior to the images being sent.
• If, having been advised of the above, you wish to proceed you must provide detailed and specific information on the date, time and location of the incident including the direction of travel. Without these pieces of information we will not be able to locate any relevant images.
• All requests should be sent to us by phone on 08457 50 40 30 or via e-mail to ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk.

Debris reports

• All reports of debris should be passed to us by phone on 08457 50 40 30 rather than e-mail.  This is because it may take up to 48 hours to read an e-mail and we need to remove the debris as soon as possible.

Freedom of Information Act requests

• All requests made in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act must be made in writing by either e-mail (ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk) or post (Highways Agency Information Line, NTCC, Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham, B32 1AF).
• The request must state clearly that it is made under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
• We have 20 working days to respond to a request made under the Freedom of Information Act.

Land enquiries

If you are looking to purchase land from the Highways Agency;

• Firstly contact the Lands Registry on 020 7917 8888 to confirm we own the land or via http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/.
• Send your request to our Information Line at ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk along with a plan or map of the area showing the land, clearly marked, in relation to our network.

Making a claim for compensation if you live near a new road or road improvement;

• To get further information on making a claim under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 please visit the Part 1 Claims page of our website.
• If you already have Part 1 claim in progress please call our Information Line on 08457 50 40 30.

The Highways Agency wants to buy my land or property;

• This will be in advance of the commencement of a major project and will be done to allow the project to be successfully completed.
• If you want to discuss this issue further please contact our Information Line on 08457 50 40 30.

General enquiries about land ownership;

• Please contact the Lands Registry on 020 7917 8888 to confirm who owns the land. 
• If land is unregistered or is registered to the Secretary of State or Minister for Transport or Environment and you have further questions the please visit the following web page to download the Land Enquiry Form.

My car has been damaged by debris on the road, what do I do next?

• Call the Information Line (08457 50 40 30) as we need to be made aware of the debris so we can get it removed from the road.
• In terms of re-couping the cost of repairs to your car you would need to know who dropped the debris and seek to claim from them.  It may be that we have information on who dropped the debris and if we do then the process for getting their details is listed here.

Pot holes or poor road surface

• We prefer all reports of pot holes or poor road surfaces to be passed to us by phone on 08457 50 40 30 rather than e-mail.  This is because it may take up to 48 hours to read an e-mail and we may need to repair the road as soon as possible.
  ----------------------

Roads in England but not maintained by the Highways Agency

• View details of the roads maintained by us.
• If your enquiry does not relate to one of the roads on our network please refer your enquiry to the respective Local Authority.   Please visit the Direct Gov website where you can find out which Local Authority you need to contact.

Roads in Northern Ireland

• The Highways Agency is responsible for maintenance and stewardship of the motorways and major trunk roads in England.
• For information on the roads in Northern Ireland please contact Trafficwatch Northern Ireland on 08457 123321, e-mail ticc.belfast@drdni.gov.uk or visit their website at http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/.

Roads in Scotland

• The Highways Agency is responsible for maintenance and stewardship of the motorways and major trunk roads in England.
• For information on the roads in Scotland please contact Traffic Scotland on 0800 028 1414 or visit their website at http://www.trafficscotland.org/.

Roads in Wales

• The Highways Agency is responsible for maintenance and stewardship of the motorways and major trunk roads in England.
• For information on the roads in Wales please contact Traffic Wales on 0845 602 6020, e-mail info@traffic-wales.com or visit their website at http://www.traffic-wales.com/.

Road repair and improvement projects

• Use the following link to access the details of all the road projects being undertaken by ourselves.

Tourist (brown) signs

• The Highways Agency controls signs on the motorway network and major trunk roads throughout England.  For the roads off our network the responsibility lies with the respective Local Authority. Please go to the Direct Gov website where you can find out which Local Authority you need to contact.
• If you require a tourist sign to be placed on our roads please see the information available on our website on the following pages: Policy Guidance and Traffic signs for tourist businesses. 

Traffic flow on the motorway network

• For the latest information on the traffic flow of the motorways in England please visit our Traffic England Service. 

Traffic Officer recruitment

• The details of all Traffic Officer vacancies are available on Vacancies section of our website.
• From the above link you will also obtain the details of how to apply for a vacancy and how to receive e-mail alerts on any vacancies in the Highways Agency.

Your vehicle has been removed by the Highways Agency, why?

Level 1 -

• The Highways Agency's Traffic Officers now have the authority to require the removal of vehicles that are causing an obstruction or danger to other road users or are considered to have been abandoned.
• A contract has been agreed between the Highways Agency and the National Vehicle Recovery Manager (NVRM).
• There is also provision in the contract for you to arrange a facilitated recovery through the NVRM.  This would be a private agreement between the NVRM and you and we would not be involved in any such arrangement.
• To arrange recovering your vehicle form the NVRM please contact the NVRM direct, on 0844 243 8591 or nvrmgroup@fmgsupport.com, who will advise of the location of your vehicle and the cost incurred.
• If the NVRM do not have details of your vehicle please call our Information Line on 08457 50 40 30.

Level 2 -

• The Highways Agency has been granted the right to remove vehicles under the powers laid out in the "Removal and Disposal of Vehicles (traffic Officers) (England) Regulations 2008".
• The details of the charges for removal, storage and disposal can be found on the Office of Public Information website. 
• All complaints about the costs incurred in a statutory removal should be made to the Information Line on either 08457 50 40 30 or ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk.
• All complaints about a facilitated recovery should be made directly to the NVRM on 0844 243 8591 or nvrmgroup@fmgsupport.com.

Level 3 -

How long can I leave my vehicle unattended for?

• The Motorway Regulations permit motorists to stop on the hard shoulder if broken down or in an emergency for no longer than is necessary in the circumstances.  Highways Agency guidance is that you are allowed up to two hours to make any necessary arrangements.  This time is subject to considerations such as weather, visibility and the exact position of your vehicle on the hard shoulder. If your vehicle is left unattended in the carriageway then it will be removed immediately.
  
  Other parts of the strategic road network do not usually have a hard shoulder and many are clearways.  You should not leave your vehicle unattended in the carriageway at any time.  You may leave your vehicle in a lay-by subject to any restrictions covering that lay-by and provided that it does not cause an obstruction or danger to other users of that lay-by.

Why does it cost so much?

• The fees and charges are set to reflect the costs associated with removing a vehicle. 

Who is going to pay for the damage to my vehicle that was caused when you moved it?

• If you believe your vehicle has been damaged then you need to put your claim in writing. Complaints should be addressed to the NVRM FMG Support, FMG House, St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6NA.

How can a company be included on the National Vehicle Recovery Manager's register of suppliers?

• If you are interested in being part of the contract then you should contact FMG Support Ltd directly.  Queries should be directed to stephen.moore@fmgsupport.com. 

Is there a list of locations where vehicles have been taken to in different areas?

• We have agreed with the NVRM that at this time we will not provide the details of the garages (there are over 80). Information will be held on the NVRM's case management system and we will provide a contact phone number.

Variable Message Signs

• The Variable Message Signs (VMS) are the large message boards used to display various messages ranging from information on delays to campaign messages such as "Think Bike" etc.
• Follow the link for further information on the VMS.
• The smaller signs which display a mandatory or advisory speed limit are MIDAS signs. Follow the link for more information on MIDAS signs.
• If you have a complaint about a message displayed on the VMS please contact the Information Line by e-mail on ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk.  To enable us to answer you should include the following information - date and the accurate time the message was seen, location including a marker post (there may be several VMS between two junctions), your direction of travel and the message on the VMS.  You should also state why you believe the message shown was inappropriate and how it should be corrected.  All responses will be made in writing.

MIDAS signs

Level 1 - 

• MIDAS is the acronym for Motorway Incident Detection and Automatic Signalling.
• From sensors in the road, which can tell what speed traffic is passing at, speeds are set for drivers to give advance warning of slowing or stationary traffic.
• The signals and signs are set for a minimum of four minutes to stop drivers being faced with rapidly changing information.

Level 2 -

• A queue is detected by measuring the percentage of time that vehicles spend over loops of cable buried under the road surface.
• These loops are spaced at roughly 500 metre intervals.
• Signals can be set by one slow moving vehicle or by vehicles bunching to overtake a slower moving vehicle.
• Research by the Transport Research Laboratory shows it has been conclusively demonstrated that MIDAS improves average journey times.
• 40 (mph) is shown whilst traffic is stationary to indicate there is further queuing ahead.