Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
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Helpful ways to access the latest traffic information when you need it.
Route Functions and Objectives
Following a review of national, regional and local transport and land-use policy documents, and other data and information on the route, a set of Route Functions have been identified for the M66/A56/M65 RMS corridor. These Route Functions are set out below and are categorised at Strategic, Regional and Local levels.
Strategic Functions:
- Provides a link to routes of the Trans-European Networks (TENs) - M6 and M62.
- Provides links between other strategic routes - M60 and M61.
- Provides an increasingly significant wildlife corridor and resource which needs to be managed in line with UK and HA Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP)
Regional Functions:
- Provides an east-west route across Lancashire and provides access to areas for regeneration.
- Provides links between towns in East Lancashire and the major employment areas of Greater Manchester and Preston.
- Provides links between Lancashire and West Yorkshire towns and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
- Acts as a bypass for the numerous settlements in East Lancashire.
- Acts as a key part of an evolving integrated transport network including acting as a public transport corridor.
- Landscape and biodiversity features along sections of this route are identified within the Lancashire BAP and Red Rose Community Forest.
- Provides access to retail and leisure facilities.
- Provides an alternative route to the M6/M61/M60.
Local Functions:
- Provides access between residential areas.
- Acts as a distributor around the numerous population centres.
- Provides access to local amenities.
- Specific features within the soft estate perform local functions of screening, integration, townscape / landscape / nature conservation, and provide interest for the road user.
- Provides an alternative route at times when local routes may be closed through adverse weather and incidents on other routes.
- Provides access, in some places the only access, to properties (A56 only).
- Provides a route for vulnerable users (A56 only)
4.2 Following on from the Route Functions, and an analysis of the route conditions and problems, Route Objectives have been identified. The following objectives are based on the five government investment criteria of economy, safety, environment, accessibility and integration.
Economy
Government Objective:
To contribute to an efficient economy, and to support sustainable economic growth in appropriate locations.
Route Objectives:
- To reduce the use of local roads for strategic and regional journeys by promoting the use of this corridor.
- To give priority to the strategic and regional functions of the route.
- To improve journey time reliability for road-users, particularly at peak times.
- To minimise traffic disruption due to roadworks and incidents.
- To reduce congestion through working with other organisations to encourage modal transfer.
- To support sustainable development and regeneration in accordance with national, regional and development plan policy.
- To improve the signing provision on the route.
Safety
Government Objective:
To improve safety for all road users and contribute to the Government's new safety strategy and targets for 2010.
Route Objectives:
- To seek an improvement in the quality and quantity of traveller facilities where appropriate.
- To ensure the safety of contractors and the public during maintenance works.
- To seek a reduction in weaving manoeuvres.
- To ensure junctions and lay-by accesses operate safely.
- To ensure an appropriate standard of lighting is provided along the length of the route.
- To ensure safety fencing is to the appropriate standard.
- To encourage road users to travel at an appropriate speed.
- To seek to improve safety for more vulnerable users, particularly cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians.
- To prevent pedestrian encroachment onto the motorway carriageways.
- To help reduce the incidence of vandalism and objects being thrown onto the carriageway.
Environment
Government Objective:
To protect and enhance the built and natural environment.
Route Objectives:
- To seek to minimise the environmental impact on sites of biodiversity/heritage/ landscape/townscape interest.
- To identify locations where traffic noise levels are higher than national guidelines and mitigate where feasible.
- To work towards improving air quality in line with the National Air Quality Strategy and Air Quality Management Plans.
- To encourage traffic to use the most appropriate route.
- To minimise the impact of highway lighting systems.
- To minimise the impact of pollutant spillage and run-off.
- To protect and enhance existing flora and fauna and seek to increase diversity where appropriate.
- To protect and enhance the landscape character and visual amenity of the route corridor and adjacent areas.
- To review and maintain the specific functions of landscape elements within the soft estate.
- To maintain a clean and tidy route.
- To maintain the highway and soft estate in a sustainable way and minimise waste.
Accessibility
Government Objective:
To promote accessibility to everyday facilities for all, especially those without a car.
Route Objectives:
- To reduce severance caused by the route.
- To improve pedestrian, cycle and equestrian crossing facilities.
Integration
Government Objective:
To promote the integration of all forms of transport and land use planning leading to a better more efficient transport system.
Route Objectives:
- To develop a sustainable strategic land-use planning policy for the route in accordance with national, regional and local government policy.
- To improve user information.
- To increase knowledge of user patterns and needs.
- To make better use of the route by working in partnership with road users, transport providers and operators, local authorities and those affected by the network.
- To contribute to Regional and Local transport and development plans
- To assist in the promotion of the public transport corridors.
- To improve access to/for public transport.
- To make appropriate provisions to encourage the use of public transport.
