Highways Agency

Safety Standards and Research (SSR) Overview

SSR is responsible for developing and maintaining the Highways Agency’s (HA) best practice approach to trunk road management, operation and design to meet customer needs and enhance Agency performance. It is responsible for the development and management of the Agency’s research programme, setting standards, providing specialist advice, developing innovative solutions and facilitating the timely introduction and implementation of new ideas.

The Directorate is brigaded in three functional Divisions:

• Asset Performance Division (APD)
  Provides specialist support for the effective improvement and management of the strategic road network;
• Safety, Appraisal and Technology Division (SATD)
  Provides support for traffic modelling and monitoring, safe use of the strategic road network and development of travel and driver information systems, and
• Operational Policy Division (OPD)
  Provides development of policies and support for the Traffic Operator role, developing the strategic direction of SSR, including business improvement through the Regional Delivery Teams and Directorate Support. 

Another important aspect of our work is to provide timely and competent advice on Health and Safety. 

Safe Road Operations Group

Falls within the SATD as described above and is responsible for the Delivery of advice and plans to achieve accident reductions. This group has four distinct functions.

Vehicle Restraints & Risk develops policy and advice on Vehicle Restraint Systems and approval of departures from standards.  It also develops strategy and policy and provision of specialist advice and guidance on safety, risk and probabilistic forecasting.

Safe Road Design develops and manages the road safety strategy and road signs policy to deliver the HA’s performance targets.  It also approves departures from standards, authorises non-standard signs and provides support and advice on road layout, road safety, signing and road safety audit.

Safety Action Plan & Temporary Traffic Management develops the Agency’s Safety action plan, supports traffic management and safety at road works, developing partnerships with the traffic management industry, promulgating best practice advice, developing practices and techniques and optimising the safety and flow of traffic at road work sites.

Traffic Signals & Lighting Safety develops policy and best practice through established partnerships for traffic control equipment and system design (APTRs) and road lighting (motorways and APTRs) to deliver the HA’s performance targets and provides support and advice to traffic operations, and to DfT. 

View the roles currently available for the Safe Road Operations Group

Pavements, Geotechnics and Structures Group

Falls within the Asset Performance Division (APD) and is responsible for supporting the delivery and management of a safe and valued asset. The group sets and monitors compliance with standards, again it has four distinct functions.

Pavements develops and advise on maintenance policies and strategies to meet Agency performance targets.  Advice and support on all aspects of road pavements; their design, construction and whole life cost; structural and visual condition and skidding properties.   Setting standards to match Agency performance requirements.

Structures develops and advise on strategies to meet Agency performance targets. 

• Development of engineering policy and provision of specialist advice and support on the design, assessment, strengthening and maintenance of all highway structures.
• Setting standards to match Agency performance requirements.
• Technical approval of all proposals for new and improved structures. 
• Provision of technical advice on structural aspects of Agency projects.
• Geotechnics Certification for Geotechnics and ground engineering. 
• Development of engineering policy and providing specialist advice on ground behaviour to achieve safety and economy in the construction and maintenance of highways. 
• Setting standards to match Agency performance requirements.

View the roles currently available for the Pavements, Geotechnics and Structures Group