Highways Agency

• Introduction
• Policy Objectives
• Route Functions
• Land Use and Development Control Statement
• Route Problems and Issues
• Route Outcomes
• What Happens Now

Route Functions

Functions are based on the characteristics of traffic using each section of the route and the relationship between the route and other parts of the national and local transport infrastructure and regional land use development. The functions developed do not infer any ranking of importance and serve a different purpose to the designation of the trunk road network into routes of national and regional importance, which was developed for the purpose of funding decisions.

Route Functions have been derived from the Route Objectives. The following are the General Functions (GF) of the trunk road network, and are a summary of the aims, vision, and objectives of the Highways Agency. They have been categorised under the Government's Five Investment Criteria:

Environment

• GF3 - To respect the environment.

Safety

• GF1 - To provide safe transportation of people and goods, by whatever mode. Economy, Accessibility and Integration
• GF2 - To provide reliable journey times.
• GF4 - To inform travellers.
• GF5 - To provide an effective route for the transportation of people and goods, by whatever means.
• GF6 - To support the principles of sustainable development by being part of an integrated transport system.

Current and Future Functions of the Route

A categorisation of international, national, regional, sub-regional, and local functions are listed as follows, the full report categorises these functions by route section and detailed origin/destination:

International

• The route forms part of the Trans-European Network connecting to the M62, M56 and M61.
• The route provides a bypass around Manchester for long distance traffic from Manchester Airport to the North West, North East and Yorkshire and vice versa.
• The route provides an access from Greater Manchester Boroughs to the airport and vice versa.
• The route provides an access to the Greater Manchester Boroughs and Salford and Manchester City Centres from the Trans European Transport Network.

National

• The route provides a bypass around Manchester for Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and West Midlands traffic to the North East and Yorkshire and vice versa.
• The route is part of the National Motorway Network.
• The route provides an access from outside the North West to the Trafford Centre and elsewhere in the Boroughs of Trafford and Salford and vice versa.
• The route provides an access from the Midlands, the South and West of the England and Wales to Manchester and vice versa.

Regional

• The route provides an access from Cumbria, Cheshire and Lancashire to Manchester City Centre and vice versa.
• The route provides an access from Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire to the Greater Manchester boroughs and vice versa.

Sub-Regional

• The route provides an orbital route around Manchester, and through Greater Manchester for commuter, leisure and business traffic.
• The route provides an access from within Greater Manchester to the Trafford Centreand elsewhere within the Boroughs of Trafford and Salford and vice versa.
• The route provides an access from Greater Manchester Boroughs to Manchester City Centre and vice versa.

Local

• The route provides an access to local development, communities and amenities.
• The route provides movement within or between the Greater Manchester Boroughs.
• The route provides an access from the Greater Manchester Boroughs to the Airport and vice versa.
• The route provides an access to and from the Trafford Centre and elsewhere within the Boroughs of Trafford and Salford.