New proposals set out for England's motorways and A-roads in the next five years

The network provides links to all major ports and airports and the report says continuing funding is needed to support the safe, efficient movement of people and goods. 

Richard Holden, Roads Minister, said: “Our roads are vital to our economy, and the plans set out today will help to enhance connectivity and boost growth, while protecting the environment. Working with National Highways, we are committed to delivering safe, reliable journeys and reducing congestion in a way supports our path to net zero.”

Today’s report says that National Highways’ work is likely to include through greater use of digital technologies, getting the network ready for connected and autonomous vehicles and encouraging active travel.

The report also outlines the challenges facing these increasingly busy roads and how investment can help tackle congestion and smooth traffic flow.

Most motorways were built in the 1960s and 70s and now require extensive renewal while National Highways also needs to ensure performance and safety levels are maintained in the face of increased exposure to severe weather.  

The Initial Report will be subject to an eight-week consultation by the Department for Transport.

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It is published alongside National Highways’ long-term strategic plan, Connecting the Country. This sets out the company’s priorities for the network up to 2050, with demand for roads from zero-emission vehicles expected to remain strong as part of a seamlessly integrated transport system.  

Separately, 20 Route Strategies are also released today which help develop and maintain a detailed evidence base on the performance of the network – identifying current issues and understanding potential future challenges. 

Nick Harris, National Highways’ Chief Executive, said:  “Our network of motorways and A-roads has a critical role to play over the next 30 years in supporting growth and levelling up. They bind together the regions and nations of the UK, facilitating national and international trade, and even under conservative forecasts demand for the network will continue to increase up to 2050.  

“While we strive to maintain safe and reliable journeys for the vehicles that rely on our network each day, we know that ever higher levels of social and environmental responsibility will, quite rightly, be required of us. This means we will need to find new and innovative ways to continue connecting the country by facilitating active travel and public transport, and also using digital technology to help customers make more informed decisions and managing our network more efficiently.”