Highways Agency

1. Introduction

1.1 What is a Route Management Strategy?

1.1.1 Route Management Strategies '…is a technique being developed by the Highways Agency to provide a framework for managing individual trunk routes as part of wider transport networks. Route Management Strategies will interlock with local transport strategies (set out in Local Transport Plans) within the context established by Regional Planning Guidance'. (Reference Para 3.1.34 'A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone').

1.1.2 The Route Management Strategy (RMS) process has been developed to :

• Assist the Highways Agency (HA) in planning and optimising investment in the trunk road/motorway network (across different budget headings), and in the delivery of HA strategic plans and ten year transport strategy.
• Provide consistency, transparency, openness and integration, particularly with other transport related strategies, including local and regional transport plans.
• Enable the HA to provide an input into these strategies and plans.
• Maximise customer focus.
• Improve forward planning over a 10-year horizon.

1.1.3 The development of RMSs assists the HA to achieve its objective which is:

• To deliver a high quality service to all our customers by:
  1. Improving road safety
  2. Making journeys more reliable through better network management and information
  3. Respecting the environment.

1.1.4 The development of an RMS will be administered and delivered by the HA, with the assistance of consultants, through undertaking a Route Management Strategy Study.

1.1.5 It should be noted that whilst a RMS will be focused upon a particular route, the impact which other routes may have upon it and the impact that the route may have on others should be considered within the study. This would be particularly applicable where an issue on one route can be resolved through an outcome on another.

1.1.5 An RMS comprises the following elements:

• Policy Objectives
• Route Functions and Performance
• Route Problems and Issues
• Land Use and Development Control Statement
• Route Outcomes

1.1.6 The overall impact of the Route Outcomes on the Policy Objectives, Route Functions and Problems, is contained within a Strategy Impact Statement. This statement can also be used to identify potential actions which may contribute to delivering the Route Outcomes.

1.1.7 Policy Objectives are wider planning, economic and transport objectives that are pertinent to the route.

1.1.8 Route Functions and Performance describe the current roles of the route, those it is intended to serve in the future and assesses how well the route performs these.

1.1.9 The Land Use and Development Control Statement outlines the HA's approach to future land use and development issues which materially affect the route.

1.1.10 Route Problems and Issues are matters of concern to the HA, stakeholders or the public that may prevent the Policy Objectives being met or hinder the performance of Route Functions.

1.1.11 Route Outcomes set out what the HA will seek to achieve for the route over the 10 year period of the RMS. They should contribute to Policy Objectives, improve the performance of the route consistent with its future Functions and seek to address Route Problems and Issues. Some of the Outcomes may point towards individual projects and investigations which will subsequently be developed by the HA as a Route Management Plan.

1.1.12 Figure 1 below illustrates the relationships between the strategy elements and shows the key role of the Route Outcomes. The figure shows that each element is influenced by other elements and that the development of the Route Outcome is an iterative process.

1.2 Network Performance

1.2.1 The Highways Agency has initiated the development of a network performance regime, so that knowledge of network conditions drives the outputs from the programme development cycle. A network performance regime would have the multiple purposes of:

• measuring performance on the network and reporting to Ministers, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the HA Board on the progression towards the 10 Year Plan objectives;
• setting priorities for the annual bidding process based on the achievement of defined service levels and forward profiles; and
• providing a framework for the development of Route Management Strategies (RMS), to enable RMSs to set measurable objectives for each route.

1.2.2 This is still in the early stages of development, but by early 2004 some preliminary outputs will become available that should be relevant to individual RMSs, and will be included in the suite of documents produced for the Forward Planning Guidance.

1.3 This Guidance

1.3.1 This Guidance sets out how a RMS Study will be carried out. It replaces the previous Guidance issued in January 2002 and is intended for use by the HA in managing the process, consultants developing the RMS and Project Board members assisting in the process.

1.3.2 This Guidance provides a flexible approach to undertaking any RMS Study which allows for the size and nature of the RMS to be reflected in the amount of work which needs to be undertaken and is sensitive to the extent of study and consultation that has already been undertaken on a route.

1.3.3 The remainder of this Guidance document is set out in five sections which describe:

• The inputs to a RMS
• How the elements of a RMS are developed
• The Key Events and activities within an RMS Study
• The format of the Final RMS Report
• The Review process

1.3.4 Throughout this document there are a number of 'hint boxes'. These are intended as useful suggestions and are not mandatory.

1.4 Best Practice

1.4.1 Based on the lessons learnt from previous RMS Studies, a Best Practice Document is being produced. This will be accessed electronically through the RMS Community on the HA Portal. It will provide advice on undertaking each key event including consultation methods & seminar methodology and will include other useful references including relevant policy documents, HA & other initiatives and suggested consultees.

1.4.2 In order to keep the Best Practice site up to date, the Consultant will be approached by the Best Practice Guidance team following each Key Event and be asked to complete a questionnaire. An example of this questionnaire can be found at the Best Practice site. The Project Owner and Sponsor will also be asked to contribute to this.

1.4.3 At the outset of any Route Management Strategy, the Project Owner should contact the Best Practice Guidance team to provide their own details and those of the Project Sponsor and Consultant.