Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Related pages

• Executive summary
• 1 introduction
• 2 description of the route
• 3 policy objectives
• 4 route functions
• 5 land use and development control statement
• 6 route problems and performance
• 7 route outcomes
• 8 strategy impact statement
• 9 the next steps

3 policy objectives

3 Policy Objectives

3.1 Derivation of Policy Objectives

Policy Objectives are developed from the wider planning, economic and transport objectives obtained from a variety of national, regional and local sources relevant to the study. They were used to define the context of the study and guide issues investigated.

The wider economic and transport objectives were reviewed early in the study and have been tabled in the Policy Objective Source Tables (see Appendix E). The Policy Objective Source Tables show the Policy Objectives that were developed and used in the study together with the relevant sources.

The Policy Objectives have been reviewed a number times as the study progressed, reviews were carried out at key times i.e. at Stakeholder Workshops, the RMS Seminar and at the Public Consultation. Revisions have taken place and the Policy Objectives that developed are shown below:

3.2 Policy Objectives

The Policy Objectives are defined under the government's five headings of Economy,Safety, Environment, Accessibility and Integration. They have been developed inconsultation with stakeholders and the Wider Reference Group.

Under each heading the text in bold is the overarching objective defined by the HAbased on government policy objectives. The following objectives are specific to theroute.

3.2.1 Economy

Overall Objective: To Contribute To An Efficient Economy, And To Support Sustainable Economic Growth In Appropriate Locations

• EY1 To reduce congestion at identified locations
• EY2 To improve journey time reliability e.g. by provision of grade-separation of identified junctions
• EY3 Supporting sustainable development and regeneration in accordance with Highways Agency development control policy
• EY4 Achieving best value in construction and maintenance
• EY5 To minimise disruption due to roadworks and incidents
• EY6 Establishment of the route as a major strategic diversion route to the A1 Western Bypass

3.2.2 Safety

Overall Objective: To Improve Safety for All Travellers

• S1 To improve safety for all road users by implementing, for example, the following measures (where appropriate):
  • Limiting direct access
  • Providing lighting at locations where it would improve safety, but balanced with environmental considerations
  • Providing a consistent, high standard of signing
  • Providing adequate lay-bys and working with private operators to provide services facilities
  • Improving sub-standard junction layouts, road alignments and visibility
  • Maintaining all road surfacing to an acceptable standard
  • Providing skid-resistant surfaces, safety barriers and other accident remedial measures
  • Providing adequate safety at rail, road and river crossing locations
  • Providing safer on-road interaction between car and HGV drivers
• S2 To encourage appropriate safer speeds
• S3 To seek to provide appropriate crossing facilities for non-motorised users, i.e. cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians and to discourage crossing at inappropriate places
• S4 To provide adequate facilities to cater for safer methods of maintenance

3.2.3 Environment

Overall Objective: To Protect and Enhance the Built and Natural Environment

• EN1 To identify sites where noise levels are unacceptably high and seek to provide appropriate noise mitigation measures
• EN2 To seek to improve air quality at agreed locations e.g. by reducing congestion
• EN3 To seek to conserve and where possible enhance existing flora and fauna (including minimising severance effects for wildlife) and to prepare and implement landscape and biodiversity plans for the complete route
• EN4 To seek to minimise, and where possible reduce, the impact of the route on surface watercourses and groundwater
• EN5 To seek to minimise the impact of the route on sites of cultural heritage significance and on the character and quality of the built environment
• EN6 To seek to minimise the landscape and visual impact of the route (including light pollution), particularly in designated and rural locations
• EN7 To develop (and implement) techniques to ensure that the trunk road is managed according to sustainability principles
• EN8 To seek to reduce the impact of the route on local communities e.g. by improving the environment and reduce severance for people and communities directly on the route
• EN9 To actively encourage the provision of appropriate roadside facilities for all road users along the route

(Note: EN9 is a new Policy Objective identified during the consultation process.)

3.2.4 Accessibility

Overall Objective: To Promote Accessibility To Everyday Facilities For All, Especially Those Without A Car

• A1 To address the issues of community severance associated with the trunk road
• A2 To address the provision of adequate facilities for people accessing public transport services on or via the route (e.g. bus lay-bys) with safe and convenient access
• A3 To address appropriate and safe crossing/travel facilities at identified locations for non-motorised users including pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, those with pushchairs and mobility difficulties
• A4 Work in partnership with local authorities and other bodies, in order to play a full role in supporting non-motorised elements of travel

3.2.5 Integration

Overall Objective: To Promote The Integration Of All Forms Of Transport And Land Use Planning, Leading To A Better, More Efficient Transport System

• I1 To provide greater clarity for vehicle transport e.g. clear signing to rail, metro and bus/coach stations, availability of travel information, VMS
• I2 To foster positive relationships with Government departments and other authorities, to facilitate policy integration and co-ordinate activities and responsibilities. For example:
  • Supporting the development of school travel initiatives
  • Contributing to Government policies on health, education and social inclusion
  • Working with key stakeholders to ensure that Government policies are implemented and the trunk road network meets the needs of the Region
  • Supporting the policies and objectives of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the North East
  • Developing and maintaining agreements to work in partnership with other bodies
• I3 To encourage modal shift to more sustainable means of transport. This may include:
  • Encourage further Park and Ride sites
  • Informative direction signs to sites where motorists may interchange to public transport
  • Ensure passengers and freight operators can switch efficiently and smoothly between different modes of transport, and to broaden the choices available
  • Consideration of designated lanes and the potential for freight interchange facilities and transhipment depots.
• I4 To consider the route as a public transport corridor
• I5 Take account of local demand management strategies