Highways Agency

A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement

PREFACE

The Highways Agency

The Secretary of State for Transport, as Highway Authority, is responsible for the management, maintenance and improvement of the trunk road network in England.

The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport.

The Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, who is directly accountable to the Secretary of State, is responsible for carrying out the Secretary of State's executive functions in relation to the road network, namely:

• the management and maintenance of the trunk road network
• the delivery of the Secretary of State's programme of trunk road improvement schemes

The Highways Agency's Representative

My name is Robert Timothy Hughes (Tim Hughes). I am a Project Sponsor in the Major Projects Division of the Highways Agency. I have a Batchelor of Science honours degree (1976) in Civil Engineering from Aston University in Birmingham and a Diploma in Management Studies (1994) from University College, Northampton. I am a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

I have thirty-three years experience gained mainly in Local and Central Government, all of which has been concerned with highways works. The majority of my career has been spent with Northamptonshire County Council with whom I started work in 1969. At Northamptonshire I was involved with a number of major road schemes.

I have been involved with the A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement ("the Scheme") since June 2003. As Project Sponsor for the Scheme my main duties are:

• To provide a focal point for scheme contacts from all stakeholders,
• To manage scheme expenditure, programme and quality,
• To manage consultants employed to develop scheme proposals,
• To undertake media liaison and represent the Highways Agency at Public Inquiries.

Scope of Evidence

This statement describes the Scheme in detail and the various standards applicable to and used for the design.