Highways Agency

M5/A46/M50/A40

The Strategy

Introduction

Route Management Strategies are being developed by the Highways Agency to provide a framework for managing trunk roads as part of wider traffic networks. This study involved consulting with stakeholders and other consultees to formulate a strategic plan for A46/M5/M50/A40 for the next 10 years.

Route Management Strategies were developed taking a holistic view of the problems and issues occurring over a defined part of the core trunk road network. From this, a series of outcomes were developed to provide guidance to the Highways Agency with regards to actions that will need to be taken in the short to medium term. The outcomes generally relate to local management issues rather than major schemes and are developed and assessed against the Government's five investment criteria-Safety; Economy; Environment; Accessibility; and Integration.

Policy Objectives

Policy objectives have been derived for the route from various data sources and are briefly outlined for each of the Government's investment criteria as follows:

Economy

• Ec1 To minimise road delays and congestion and to improve reliability of journeys
• Ec2 To continue to maintain the function of a trunk road.
• Ec3 To provide information to travellers to contribute to a safe and economical journey
• Ec4 To actively contribute towards the efficiency and effectiveness of the route where this supports national and regional spatial strategy and regional economic strategy.

Safety

• S1 To reduce road casualties and the frequency and severity of accidents to produce a safer highway for all users.
• S2 To produce a safer environment for non-motorised user groups.

Environment

• E1 To protect and enhance the built and natural environment on the route.
• E2 To reduce the impacts of traffic and transport on the environment including noise, light, air and air pollution
• E3 To enhance the living environment for communities along the corridor

Accessibility

• A1 To improve access to services and facilities along the route.
• A2 To promote more frequent use of public transport and other motorised alternatives to the private car through influencing travel behaviour.
• A2 To minimise the impacts of community severance caused by the route.
• A4 To promote safer non-motorised travel for those using the route.

Integration

• I1 To encourage improved interchanges and access between transport modes along the route.
• I2 To support public transport services along the route.
• I3 To encourage the evolution of a balanced and integrated transport system along the route.

Route Functions

Route Functions describe the purposes the route serves currently and those it is intended to serve in the future. Functions are based on the nature of the journeys that occur on the route and the relationship between the route and other parts of the national and local transport infrastructure and regional land use development. The Route Functions for the route have been grouped and summarised below:

Strategic

• F1 A strategic link between South/South-West Wales, and the East and West Midlands via the motorway and trunk road network.
• F2 The A40, M50 and A46 provide a diversion route during incidents on the M5, M4 and M42, while the M5 provides a diversion route for traffic using other major routes such as the A46 and A38.
• F3 A strategic cross-country link between the M5, M40 and M6. (3 Trans European Route Networks).
• F4 Serves commercial and long distance traffic between South Wales and the Midlands.
• F5 Provides access to South Wales and Midlands ports and airports.

Regional

• F6 Assists business development, goods movements, regeneration, and employment opportunities.
• F7 Carries longer distance traffic that would otherwise use local roads.
• F8 Provides commuter links.
• F9 Provides links for tourist traffic between the historic, cultural and scenic centres of the region.
• F10 Provides links between major conurbations within the region and sub region.

Local

• F11 The A40/A46 provides local and agricultural access.
• F12 Supports public transport services.
• F13 Provides access for non-motorised users where appropriate.

Route Problems and Performance

Route problems and performance issues were identified by taking into account a wide range of sources of information varying from:

• a number of studies carried out for the RMS corridor, ranging from environmental to NMU Crossing reports,
• general appreciation of the problems from the investigation of statistics for accident, congestion etc.
• discussions with people with a local knowledge of the route including the Managing Agents, the Highways Agency and the Local Authorities.
• Stakeholder seminar held on 10th March 2004 and
• public consultation where the general public had the opportunity to voice its views on the RMS.

Based on this the key issues and problems identified on each of the sections are as summarised below: A complete list of the Route Problems and Issues are included in the full version of Final RMS

• Safety between Alcester and Stratford
• Safety on A40
• Excessive speeds on 3 lane carriageway sections
• Congestion at M5 junctions
• Congestion on A46 ( between M40 and A45) and at junctions along A40 and A46
• Congestion due to incidents and events
• Noise impact along M5 and various other locations
• Character Areas including Wye Valley, Cotswolds and Malvern Hills
• Severance particularly in residential communities straddling the route
• NMU facilities at grade separated interchanges
• Infrequency of Lay-Bys along some sections
• Inadequate standards of Lay-bys
• Lack of Service Areas, particularly on Motorway sections
• Lack of facilities for lorry drivers on all sections
• Improve Public Transport.

Route Outcomes

The RMS has identified a number of key route issues. In order to overcome these route issues a strategy has been devised, resulting in 16 Route Outcomes, which will enable the performance of the route to be improved and also address the identified route issues. The Key Route Outcomes are as summarised below:

Reference	Route Outcomes
1	Wildlife and Environment - To minimise the impact of the route on the environment, especially habitats and watercourses.
2	Landscape - To preserve and accentuate the character areas along the route for the local community and environment.
3	Noise - To reduce the impacts of traffic noise where appropriate along the route for the local community and environment.
4	Speed Management - To use Speed Management techniques to improve safety and accessibility where appropriate along the route.
5	Accidents - To reduce road casualties and the frequency and severity of accidents at cluster sites on the route in line with national targets.
6	Traveller Care - Lay-bys - To improve the spacing and standards of lay-bys and the provision of service areas.
7	Non-Motorised Users and Accessibility - To improve accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians along and crossing the route.
8	Signing - To provide consistent and clear signing along the route.
9	Public Transport - To facilitate public transport provision and the integration of public transport services.
10	Network Management - To enhance network management and the provision of information.
11	Emergency Services - To improve access and facilities for emergency services.
12	Lighting - To improve lighting at appropriate locations.
13	Land Use - To support sustainable development and regeneration in line with planning guidance.
14	Abnormal Loads - To facilitate a safe passage for abnormal loads where appropriate.
15	Congestion - To manage congestion and improve reliability of journey times along the route.
16	Education - To improve the skills and knowledge of drivers and other road users

Strategy Impact Statement

The Strategy Impact Statement demonstrates how the implementation of the Route Outcomes will result in a beneficial impact on the performance of the route. The Route Outcomes are expected to have a positive impact on the route as a whole. The impact of the Route Outcomes were analysed on the following:

• Route Issues
• Route Functions
• Development Control and
• Policy Objectives

For detailed tables please refer to 10-year Route Management Plan.

The Highways Agency will use this strategy as the basis for further detailed studies on the issues raised and will produce a Route Management Plan that will include committed and potential actions that can realistically delivered within the ten year horizon.