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4 Route functions
4 Route Functions
The Government, in its vision for transport in England ("Transport 2010: The 10 Year Plan"(1998)), describes the motorways and trunk roads that make up the strategic road network in England as being the "backbone of our transport system". They provide the main transport arteries for the country, playing a vital role, both economically and socially. Although representing less than 4% of the total road network in England, the strategic road network carries around 34% of traffic and 67% of freight (by vehicle miles)11, providing for the efficient movement of goods and people while at the same time maintaining the Government's 5 objectives for transport: safety, economy, environment, accessibility and integration.
The Highways Agency in its role as Network Operator has a remit that runs beyond the traditional notion of the Agency as road builder and maintainer towards achieving a wider strategic aim:
"to contribute to sustainable development by maintaining, operating and improving the trunkroad network in support of the Government's integrated transport and land use policies".
In its management of the motorway and trunk road network towards this end, the HA are guided by a number of key objectives:
- Giving priority to maintenance whilst minimising whole life costs
- Developing the network operator role
- Reducing congestion and increasing journey time reliability
- Carrying out the targeted investment programme
- Minimising the environmental impact of the trunk road network
- Improving safety for all road users
- Working in partnership and promoting choice and information for travellers
Providing focus for these key objectives within the Governments 5 investment criteria, the HA have produced a set of strategic plans, outlining its method, strategy and vision for the future. These plans provide the context for the development of a set of performance functions for the M1 and M10 which reflect the character and operation of the route.
4.1 Existing Route Functions
The following list is an initial view of the route functions for the M1 between Junctions 1 and 19 and the M10:
4.1.1 National Functions
- NF1 Forms part of a major transport link between London and the M25 to the East and West Midlands, the North West and Yorkshire
- NF2 Forms part of the Trans European Road Network
- NF3 Provides a route for heavy and wide loads
- NF4 Provides a link to London Luton Airport
- NF5 Provide the main route for coaches between London and Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton and the North.
- NF6 Provide a key link for freight from M25 to the Midlands and the North
- NF7 Forms a Highways Agency landscape and biodiversity corridor
4.1.2 Regional Functions
- RF1 Provides a major north south road transport link between the M25 and the North Circular Road
- RF2 Provides a major transport link between regional centres of population and employment
In accordance with the work undertaken by the LSMMMS; it is recognised that the M1 will continue to form a crucial aspect of the regional transport network.
4.1.3 Local Functions
- LF1 It relieves communities along its length of traffic
- LF2 It provides a distributor function around large population centres including Luton, Milton Keynes, London and Northampton
- LF3 It acts as a commuter route
4.2 Function Performance
The tables overleaf (Table 4.1 to Table 4.3), presents the M1 and M10's existing functions against the five HA economic factors namely Safety, Economy, Environment, Accessibility and Integration. Having taken account of potential land use developments and policies, the function of the M1 in future will not change and for the this reason the set of future performance functions remains the same.
| No | Existing Route Functions | Factors Affecting Route Performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety | Economy | Environment | Accessibility | Integration | ||
| NF1 | Forms part of a major transport link between London and the M25 to the East and West Midlands, the North West and Yorkshire | Accidents on the route may generate major disruption. Slow vehicles using the middle lane and driving too close. At capacity junctions cause "exit blocking" where off slip queues tail back to the main carriageway. | Congestion delays could impact on the economic function of the M1 and of other strategic routes, also upsetting the local pattern of inter-settlement commuting and movement of goods and services. Congestion delays, particularly on M1 Junction 10 and 10A and negatively affecting Luton Airport. Problems exacerbated by accident locations and people leaving the Watford Gap service area. | Traffic noise is a matter of complaint. Noise and Air Quality affected by increased vehicular flow. Visual intrusion from Junction 10 to 12. Flooding problems of the hamlet of Tathall End between Junctions 14 and 15. | Congestion occurs at most junctions between Junctions 4 and 17 Vehicles cannot use Junction 6/6A to get on to M25 or M1. Junction 6 access and egress is substandard. Junctions 7 and 8 traffic moving between M10 and Hemel Hempstead (A414) causes additional congestion. | Inadequate NMUs facilities at junctions. Lack of adequate cost effective public transport alternatives encourages private car usage to the major airports. Lack of traffic information system on the corridor for the road users. |
| NF2 | Forms part of the Trans European Road Network. | |||||
| NF3 | Provides a route for heavy and wide loads. | |||||
| NF4 | Provides a link to London Luton Airport. | |||||
| NF5 | Provide the main route for coaches between London and Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton and the North. | |||||
| NF6 | Provide a key link for freight from M25 to Midlands and the North. | |||||
| NF7 | Forms a Highways Agency landscape and biodiversity corridor | |||||
| No | Existing Route Functions | Factors Affecting Route Performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety | Economy | Environment | Accessibility | Integration | ||
| RF1 | Provides a major north south road transport link between the M25 and the North Circular Road. | Heavy congestion at peak times at interchanges is a potential cause of accidents. | Congestion delays, particularly on M1 Junction 10 and 10A impact on economic function and negatively affecting Luton Airport. Problems exacerbated by accident locations. Congestion may deter employees from using the M1 motorway, suffocating the regional economy. | Noise and Air Quality affected by high volumes of traffic at peak time. | Availability and awareness of user facilities. | Inadequate NMUs facilities at junctions. Lack of adequate cost effective public transport alternatives encourages private car usage to the major airports. Lack of traffic information system on the corridor for the road users. |
| RF2 | Provides a major transport link between regional centres of population and employment. | |||||
| No | Existing Route Functions | Factors Affecting Route Performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety | Economy | Environment | Accessibility | Integration | ||
| LF1 | It relieves communities along its length of traffic. | Accidents on the route may generate disruption to this function. | Poor junction layouts at local communities can cause potential delay and disruption to local economies. | Noise and Air Pollution from increased vehicle flow. | Conflict with Non-Motorised Users at junctions. Regional usage conflicts with strategic functions. Local usage conflicts with regional functions. | Inadequate NMUs facilities at junctions. Lack of adequate cost effective public transport alternatives encourages private car usage to the major airports. |
| LF2 | It provides a distributor function around large population centres: including Luton, Milton Keynes, London and Northampton. | |||||
| LF3 | It acts as a commuter route. | |||||
4.3 Future Route Functions
Table 4.1 - Table 4.3 identify possible factors affecting the performance of the existing functions of the M1 and M10. Integrating these factors into the existing functions within the context of Section 4.2 has led to the development of a set of future functions for the route. The nature of the route is such that the future route functions include all existing functions (NF1-NF7, RF1-RF2 and LF1-LF3), all of which are expected to hold for the life time of this RMS. There are, however, an additional function, which will become increasingly important over time. Future National and Local Functions remain unchanged.
4.3.1 National Functions
There are no changes expected to the National Functions, subject to the availability of capacity.
4.3.2 Regional Functions
The additional Regional Function is:
- RF3 Provides quick and safe journeys for athletes, officials and spectators during the 2012 London Olympics.
4.3.3 Local Functions
There are no changes expected to the Local Functions, subject to the availability of capacity.
