National Highways facts for kids
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Formerly
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| Government-owned company | |
| Industry | Highway authority |
| Founded | 1 April 2015 |
| Headquarters | Bridge House 1 Walnut Tree Close Guildford GU1 4LZ |
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Area served
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Key people
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| Owner | HM Government |
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Number of employees
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4,700 (2018) |
National Highways (NH) is a company owned by the UK government. Its main job is to run, look after, and make better the big roads in England. This includes all the motorways and major A roads.
National Highways also helps set the rules for how roads are built and maintained across the whole United Kingdom. In England, they give drivers information through road signs and their website, Traffic England. They also have special traffic officers who help with problems on the roads.
Contents
History of National Highways
National Highways has had a few different names over the years. It started as the Highways Agency on March 30, 1994. This was a special part of the government's Department for Transport.
Later, on April 1, 2015, it changed its name to Highways England and became a company owned by the government. This change was made to help the company plan better for the future of England's roads. The government also made a plan called the Road Investment Strategy. This plan helps decide how much money will be spent on improving roads.
In 2020, Highways England made a fun advert using the song "Go West". They changed the words to "Go Left" to remind drivers to pull over to the left side of the motorway if their car breaks down.
On August 19, 2021, the company changed its name again to National Highways. The word 'national' was added because the company helps set road rules for the whole UK. Even though other parts of the UK like Wales and Scotland manage their own roads, National Highways still helps with the overall standards.
What National Highways Does
National Highways is in charge of England's most important roads. These are called the Strategic Road Network (SRN). This network includes over 4,000 miles of motorways and major A roads. It also includes bridges, tunnels, and special road signs.
Even though the SRN is only about 2% of all roads in England, it carries about one-third of all the traffic!
National Highways also creates important guides for road design. One of these is the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). This manual gives rules and advice for designing and using major roads. It's used across the UK and in some other countries too.
How They Run the Roads
National Highways divides its work into different areas across England. These areas are looked after by special teams and contractors. Some parts of the road network are also managed by private companies. For example, the M6 Toll road is run by a private company.
| Operational area | Counties covered (whole and partial) | Roads managed |
|---|---|---|
| South West (former areas 1 & 2) |
Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire |  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| Area 3 | Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Wiltshire |  , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , ,  |
| Area 4 | East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex |  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , ,  ,  |
| East (former areas 6 & 8) |
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk |  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| Area 7 | Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland | ,  ,  ,  , , ,  , , ,  ,  ,  , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| Area 9 | Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire | , ,  ,  ,  ,  , , , , , , ,  , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| North West (former areas 10 & 13) |
Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside | ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| Area 12 | Derbyshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire | ,  , ,  ,  ,  ,  , , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
| Area 14 | County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear | ,  ,  , ,  , ,  ,  |
| DBFO area | DBFO name | Roads managed | DBFO Company | Commencement date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | M25, link roads to GLA Boundary, Berks, Bucks, Herts, Essex, Kent & Surrey | , , , , ,  ,  , , , , ,  , , , , ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  |
Connect Plus (M25) | October 2009 |
| 25 | A69 Newcastle to Carlisle |  |
Road Link (A69) | April 1996 |
| 26 | A19 Dishforth to Tyne Tunnel | ,  ,  ,  |
Autolink Concessionaires (A19) | February 1997 |
| 27 | M1-A1 Link (Lofthouse to Bramham) | , , |
Connect M1-A1 | April 1996 |
| 28 | A50 / A564 Stoke to Derby | , |
Connect A50 | July 1996 |
| 29 | A1(M) Alconbury to Peterborough | |
Road Management Services (Peterborough) | April 1996 |
| 30 | M40 (J1-15) Denham to Warwick | |
UK Highways M40 | January 1996 |
| 31 | A417 / A419 Swindon to Gloucester |  ,  |
Road Management Services (Gloucester) | April 1996 |
| 32 | A30 / A35 Exeter to Bere Regis | ,  |
Connect A30/A35 | October 1996 |
| 33 | A1 Darrington to Dishforth | |
Road Management Services (Darrington) | March 2003 |
| 34 | A249 Stockbury (M2) to Sheerness |  |
Sheppey Route | February 2004 |
| Toll concession | Concessionaire | Opening date |
|---|---|---|
 M6 Toll |
Midland Expressway | December 2003 |
Improving the Road Network
National Highways plans its big road projects in five-year periods. Before each new period, they tell the government what needs to be done. This includes fixing roads and building new ones.
The government then creates a plan called the Road Investment Strategy (RIS). This plan sets out what National Highways needs to achieve and how much money they will get.
For the period from 2015 to 2020, National Highways spent about £15 billion on roads. For the current period, from 2020 to 2025, they plan to invest over £27 billion. About £14 billion of this is for making roads better. The rest is for keeping them running and safe.
How National Highways is Organized
Head Office
The main office for National Highways is in Bridge House, Guildford, Surrey.
National Traffic Information Service (NTIS)
The National Traffic Information Service (NTIS) is like the brain of England's main road network. It collects lots of information about traffic. This information comes from over 10,000 sensors in the road and cameras. It also uses data from cars to know how fast traffic is moving.
NTIS has access to nearly 2,000 CCTV cameras and many weather stations. It also gets information from police and local councils. All this data helps them understand traffic and share it with drivers.
They use 4,600 electronic signs on the roads to show messages. You can also find traffic updates on the National Highways website, social media, and through their phone service. Many news channels and map apps also use this information.
Area Teams
The motorway network is split into different "Areas". These areas are managed by special teams. These teams work with the Traffic Officer Service. They help with incidents, manage traffic, and keep the roads in good condition.
Staff
National Highways has many different types of staff. This includes uniformed traffic officers who work on the roads and in control rooms. They also have engineers, surveyors, and other office staff.
Keeping National Highways Accountable
National Highways is a company owned by the government. This means it has to follow rules and be open about its work. The company's leaders report to the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) watches over National Highways. They make sure the company is doing its job well and spending money wisely. There's also a group called Transport Focus. They make sure that the interests of road users are looked after.
Traffic England Website
Traffic England is a website that gives you up-to-date information about traffic. You can see how fast traffic is moving between motorway exits. You can also see what messages are on the electronic road signs and even look at live camera images. This website is run by National Highways' National Traffic Information Service.
Survive Group
The Survive Group is a team effort between National Highways, the police, and companies that help with car breakdowns. Their goal is to make roads safer for everyone. This includes people who work on the roads and drivers.
The Survive Group website has tips on how to drive safely in different weather. It also gives advice on planning your journeys.
Historical Railways Estate
Since 2013, National Highways has also been responsible for the Historical Railways Estate (HRE). This includes old railway bridges and tunnels that are no longer used by trains.
Bridge Infilling Controversies
Great Musgrave Bridge
In 2021, National Highways filled in the space under a road bridge at Great Musgrave in Cumbria. They used a lot of concrete and other materials. Local groups wanted to use the old railway line under the bridge for a new tourist train.
People were very upset about the bridge being filled in. National Highways had to ask for permission after they had already done the work. Many people objected to this. The local council refused to give permission. It would cost a lot of money to remove the concrete and fix the bridge. Work to remove the infill began in August 2023.
After this, National Highways started working with experts. They now review plans for old railway bridges and tunnels more carefully.
Congham Bridge
At Congham in Norfolk, another old railway bridge was filled in by National Highways in 2021. This railway route was planned to become a footpath and cycleway. The local council has asked National Highways to apply for permission for this work.
Rudgate Bridge
An old stone arch bridge at Rudgate near Tadcaster was also filled in by National Highways in 2021. This bridge was built in 1847. National Highways also had to ask for permission for this work after it was done.
See also
- Transport Scotland
- Transport for the North
- North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent
- South Wales Trunk Road Agent
- Department of Economy and Transport in Wales
- Traffic Radio
- DfI Roads
- Survive Group
- London Streets
- Off-Network Tactical Diversion Route
- Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
- Concrete step barrier
- HADECS
- National Roads Telecommunications Services, also known as the NRTS, which control the variable-message signs (VMS)
