Highways Agency

• 1 executive summary
• 2 introduction
• 3 policy objectives
• 4 route functions
• 5 land use & development control statement
• 6 route problems
• 7 route outcomes
• 8 strategy impact statement
• 9 moving forward

1 executive summary

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Route Management Strategy

The Highways Agency is responsible for the management and operation of the trunkroads and motorways in England. The A590 Route Management Strategy (RMS)provides a framework for managing the A590 trunk road as part of wider transportnetworks for the next ten years.

This Route Management Strategy covers the A590 Trunk Road between theA590/A5087 roundabout, Barrow-in-Furness and the M6 Motorway at Junction 36.Work on the RMS began in November 2002 but following the data collectionexercise, the programme was put on hold pending the Secretary of State's decisionon the High and Low Newton Bypass. Work subsequently resumed in late November2003.

In November 2003, the Highways Agency published Version Two of their RouteManagement Strategy Guidance document. The study had been originally startedusing Version One and it was agreed that following the resumption of work, theprocess undertaken would be in the form of a hybrid of both guidance documentversions.

Key elements of the Strategy include:

• Route Objectives
• Route Functions
• Problems and Issues
• Land Use and Development Control Statement
• Route Outcomes and Possible Actions

Consultation has been a key task throughout the development of this strategy. Keystakeholders such as local councils, regional planning authorities, freight operators,the police and other relevant organisations, together with the general public, havebeen consulted throughout the RMS process.

The A590 RMS identifies a series of Route Outcomes, with Possible Actions to beimplemented over the ten-year period of the RMS. These Outcomes shouldcontribute to the Route Objectives, improve the performance of the Route Functions,support the Land Use and Development Control Statement and address the RouteProblems and Issues. The 15 Route Outcomes that have been developed in thisstrategy are summarised below:

• Environmental impact

  To minimise the conflict between route performance and the sensitive nature ofthe Lake District National Park and other designated areas along the route. ThisOutcome seeks to maintain and protect the environmental qualities of the routeand areas adjacent to it.

• Water Quality

  To ensure that water quality along the A590 conforms to the standards set out inthe Water Framework Directive. This Outcome focuses on the protection ofwatercourses that are susceptible to degradation of water quality.

• Protected sites

  To address conflicts between route performance and the sensitive nature of theLake District National Park and other designated areas along the route.

• Driver behaviour

  To influence driver behaviour regarding issues of speed, inappropriatemanoeuvres, signing, parking and traffic management.

• Accidents

  To increase journey time reliability for strategic, regional and local traffic and toprovide improved safety for all users; particularly at accident cluster sites alongthe route.

• Incident response

  To improve journey time reliability along route by minimising traffic disruptioncaused by roadworks and incidents.

• Journey times

  To provide more reliable journey times along the route by seeking to reducecongestion and reduce the impact of slow moving vehicles, maintenance,incidents and major events.

• Signing

  To improve user information to ensure more efficient use of the route.

• Flooding

  To reduce the incidence of flooding on the carriageway, thereby improving safetyand availability of the route.

• Development Control

  To ensure the efficient operation of the route by reducing the impact of futuredevelopments while assisting in the sustainable development and regeneration ofFurness and South Cumbria.

• Single carriageway maintenance

  Improve journey time reliability on single carriageway sections throughminimising the impact of maintenance operations.

• Vulnerable User Accessibility

  To provide safer and easier access for vulnerable road users and provide betterlinks between facilities and amenities.

• Other Modes of Transport

  To improve the integration between transport facilities on and near to the routethrough partnerships and the promotion of public transport and non-motorisedmodes.

• Co-ordination

  To improve organisation of activities of key stakeholders that undertakeoperations on the route and to continue to involve stakeholders in the routemanagement process.

• User facilities

  To seek to provide a consistent level of quality and safety of layby facilities along the route.