Highways Agency

A43/A45 (M40 Bicester to A14 Thrapston)

The Strategy

Introduction

What is a Route Management Strategy?

A Route Management Strategy 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.

What is the aim of a Route Management Strategy?

The RMS process has been developed in order 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.

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

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

The Strategy

The RMS study for the A43/A45 started in February 2003 and by June 2003 initial consultations with stakeholders, consultees and road user organisations had been completed and key individual problems and issues had been identified along the route.

During 2003 a new Guidance document for the development of Route Management Strategies was formulated and in November 2003 this was published.

The new Route Management Strategy framework comprises Route Functions, Policy Objectives, a Land Use and Development Control Policy Statement, the Route Problems and Issues and Route Outcomes.

A new draft framework is now been formulated using previous inputs and it is now the intention of the HA to consult the public and all road users to input into this process.

Once this consultation has been completed, the components of the framework will be reviewed to take account of the views expressed during the consultation.

The strategy is being put together by the Highways Agency's consultants, Carillion-URS

Policy Objectives

Policy Objectives are wider planning, economic and transport objectives which are pertinent to the route. They provide a rationalised collection of other national and regional objectives to which the final RMS would aim to contribute.

1. Economy

Ec 1	To take action to reduce congestion and increase the reliability of journey
Ec 2	To give priority to the maintenance of the network roads and bridges, to minimise the whole life costs of the asset
Ec 3	To give priority to national and regional functions of the route
Ec 4	To minimise disruption and incidents
Ec 5	To reduce disruption and delays to road users on congested sections of the route
Ec 6	To improve traffic flow at major congested intersections
Ec 7	To plan all works to achieve optimum whole life costs with minimal disruption to users
Ec 8	To maximise the availability for use of the route for users, and the serviceability of the road, structures and other highway equipment
Ec 9	To accommodate economic development

2. Accessibility

A 1	To promote accessibility to everyday facilities for all, especially those without a car
A 2	To improve access to/for public transport
A 3	To improve facilities for non-motorised users along and across the route
A 4	To reduce community severance

3. Environmental

En 1	To protect and enhance the built and natural environment.
En 2	To identify locations where nuisance from noise levels is high and mitigate where possible
En 3	To seek to improve air quality through operation, maintenance and improvement of the route
En 4	To encourage traffic to use appropriate routes
En 5	To use environmentally friendly lighting when replacing existing or providing new systems where appropriate
En 6	To ensure effective measures are in place to protect watercourses from pollutant spillage on the Highway
En 7	To ensure the implementation of the biodiversity plan for the soft estate.
En 8	To ensure the implementation of the landscape management plan along the entire route.
En 9	To minimise the impact of highway improvements on archaeological heritage
En 10	To work with the responsible authorities, to seek to maintain a clean and tidy route.

4. Integration

In 1	To work with others to ensure passengers and freight operators can switch efficiently and smoothly between different modes of transport, and to broaden the choices available.
In 2	To improve user information
In 3	To increase knowledge of user patterns and needs
In 4	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

5. Safety

S1	To improve safety for all road users and contribute to the Government's new safety strategy and targets for 2010.
S2	To improve safety along the route specifically at accident cluster sites.
S3	To encourage road users to travel at appropriate speeds
S4	To review and improve if necessary rest areas, laybys and facilities available for all users.
S5	To improve safety during inspection and roadworks operations
S6	To minimise the number of central reserve gaps
S7	To seek to minimise the number of direct accesses
S8	To investigate where the provision of lighting would improve safety, subject to environmental acceptability
S9	To achieve a consistent high standard of signing and road markings
S10	To seek to improve safety and security for more vulnerable non-motorised users: cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians
S11	To seek to improve safety for agricultural traffic
S12	To ensure road conditions are safely maintained

Route Functions

Route Functions describe the current roles of the route, those it is intended to serve in the future and assesses how well the route performs these. A list of initial Route Functions agreed so far is:

National Functions
F1	Part of the core National route predominantly within the East Midlands Region. It provides a strategic route for transport between the South-west and North-east.
F2	It provides a major transport link between the South, Midlands and East Anglia utilising the M1 between Junctions 15 & 15A.
F3	Provides a future connection between the Milton Keynes-South Midlands growth areas and the South West and East via the A34 and A14.
F4	The A45 is part of the strategic diversion route for the A14 which in turn is part of the Trans European Network (TENS) linking the Benelux countries and Ireland.
F5	Part of a major transport route for freight movement
F6	International links with the major distribution centres around Northampton
F7	Links the North to South M40/A34 and M1 motorways with the A14 East to West route.
F8	Provides access to Silverstone racetrack from the M40 and the M1 for major motor sport events.
F9	Provides an abnormal, high and wide load route along the A43 from M40 to M1 Junction 15A.
F10	Provides an abnormal and wide load route along the A45.
F11	Forms part of the HA's Landscape and biodiversity corridor

Regional Functions
F12	Provides for major East to West movements.
F13	Provides a major transport link between regional centres of population and employment.
F14	Provides a major route serving industrial and commercial development.
F15	Provides a future interconnectivity within the region with the Milton Keynes-South Midlands growth areas.

Local Functions
F16	Provides a distributor function around local population centres including bypasses around Brackley, Towcester and Silverstone on the A43 and Northampton and Wellingborough on the A45.
F17	Provides commuter routes between centres.
F18	Provides a link between communities and local access.
F19	Provides access to retail and recreation centres.

Analysis of Route Functions and Assessment of Performance

Figure 4.1 (55KB PDF) provides an assessment of the performance of the Route Functions using the Government's transport criteria:

• Safety
• Economy
• Environment
• Accessibility
• Integration

Land Use and Development Control Issues

A Land Use and Development Control Statement will allow the HA to contribute effectively to the development and formulation of policy documents at all levels of government and allow an open approach to individual planning applications. It will provide an assessment of the likely impact of future development within the Study corridor.

A Development Control Strategy will be developed which will be used in responding to planning applications and development plan consultation and which will also assist in the future management of the route.

This Strategy will provide advice on the following:

Approach to Development Plan Representations

• Conflicts/Issues with existing development plans or policies
• Locations on the route where development could be encouraged or discouraged
• Other actions not within the HA's remit

Approach to individual Plan Applications

• Locations on the route where development could be encouraged or discouraged
• Problems and issues with existing which mat affect development decisions
• Potential activities that may be required in order to develop in certain locations
• Standard processes which the HA adopt in dealing with planning applications

Route Problems and Issues

The following is a list of generalised problems and issues affecting the route as a whole.

• Junction design
• Accidents
• Congestion
• Delays caused by incidents/maintenance
• Delays on local roads
• Slow moving HGVs/abnormal loads
• Problems with right turning movements across central reserve
• Access issues
• Lack of signing, road marking and road studs
• Lack of user facilities and security
• Cyclist, Equestrian and pedestrian issues
• Signing and public transport provision
• Environmental issues

Route Outcomes

Route Outcomes (RO) set out what the Highways Agency will seek to obtain from the route over the next 10 year period of the Route Management Strategy

Route Outcomes have been developed to:

• contribute to the route objectives,
• improve the performance of the route functions,
• support Land Use and Development Control policy and
• address route problems and issues.

Based on an analysis of the route functions, and through consultation, a number of Key Route Outcomes have been identified. Additional Route Outcomes, which are considered to be of a lower priority, are also listed.

Key Route Outcomes

RO 1 - Towcester Area Improvements

• To reduce congestion, accessibility and safety problems on the A43 at Abthorpe and A5 Tove roundabouts and Hulcote Turn.
• To consider the impacts on Silverstone village of missing west facing slip roads on A43/A413 Interchange.

RO 2 - Emergency crossovers

• To provide adequate Emergency Crossovers

RO 3 - Signing and Road Marking

• To seek to provide adequate signing and road marking along the route

RO 4 - Traffic Speed Management

• To provide traffic speed management in order to reduce traffic speed along the route

RO 5 - Accidents

• To reduce the number of accidents along the route

RO 6 - M40 Junction 10 traffic

• To reduce traffic queuing and improve safety at M40 Junction 10 where traffic travelling east from M40 to A43 crosses traffic travelling west from A43 to M40 at Padley roundabout.

RO 7 - Delays and Congestion

• To seek to reduce delays and congestion

RO 8 - NMU Facilities

• To seek to improve non-motorised facilities along the route

RO 9 - Wilby Way to Chown's Mill developments

• To review the impact of traffic and accesses associated with future developments between Wilby Way roundabout and Chown's Mill roundabout

RO 10 - M1 Junction 15 Capacity

• To ease capacity problems at the A45/M1 Junction 15 Interchange

RO 11 - Abnormal Loads

• To safeguard the use of the A43/A45 as an abnormal load route

RO 12 - A45 Single Carriageway

• To seek to improve the A45 single carriageway between Stanwick and A14 at Thrapston

RO 13 - Emergency telephones

• To seek to provide emergency telephones along the route

RO 14 - Marker Posts

• To seek to provide Marker Posts along the route

RO 15 - M1 Junction 15A

• To reduce traffic queuing at M1 Junction 15A where traffic travelling south from the M1 to the A43 crosses traffic travelling north from the A43 to the M1 at the roundabout south of the M1.

Additional Route Outcomes

RO 16 - Wildlife Crossings

• To reduce the danger to wildlife by facilitating road crossing locations

Lay-by Facilities

• To improve the facilities at lay-bys and to reduce the incidences of crime and disorder associated with lay-by parking

RO 18 - Environment

• To minimise the effects of the A43/A45 on the built and natural environment