Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-2012

SECTION 1: About us
Our plans for
2012-13
In the year ahead, the
Agency will continue to
employ initiatives that
make best use of the
network by providing
additional capacity and
improving use of
existing space to reduce
congestion whilst
maintaining high
standards of safety. This
includes taking forward
the additional
infrastructure projects
announced in the
Chancellor’s Autumn
2011 statement.
M25 four lane capacity
Full details of our plans
can be found in the
Highways Agency
2012-13 Business
Plan, available on the
Agency’s website at
www.highways.gov.uk/
businessplan
Looking to the future
The Government’s vision is for
a transport system that helps
create growth in the economy, and
tackles climate change by cutting
carbon emissions. Following the
Spending Review in October 2010
the Government announced plans
to invest £2.3 billion in major roads
improvements through to the end
of 2014-15. This includes £1.4
billion to start 14 new schemes
in the four years to 2014-15. We
have committed to deliver the new
schemes for 20 per cent less than
the estimates approved before the
Spending Review, saving £443
million and ensuring best value for
public money.
On the 29 November 2011, the
Chancellor announced his Autumn
Statement which included a further
£1 billion of investment to tackle
areas of congestion and improve
the national road network. This
included £800 million to enable six
major schemes to be brought
forward to start before 2014-15
and a further two existing schemes
to be accelerated to start earlier in
the Spending Review period than
previously scheduled. The
investment also includes a ‘pinch
point fund’ of £220 million over
three years to help improve the
performance of the network, by
tackling congestion and improving
both journey time reliability and
safety to contribute to the growth
and stimulus of the UK economy.
As part of the Spending Review
2010, it was agreed that a review of
how the Government delivers the
strategic road network would be
carried out. Alan Cook was
appointed as the first ever nonexecutive
Chairman of the
Highways Agency Board in
January 2011 and was asked to
complete this Strategic Roads
Review. Alan presented his report,
A Fresh Start for the Strategic Road
Network to the Secretary of State
for Transport on 24 November
2011. The report proposes a series
of changes which he believes,
taken together, will enable us to
manage our roads better to drive
economic growth, boost innovation
and give road users more for their
money. The proposed programme
of strategic, high-level changes
covers four broad areas:
• Longer term specification for the
strategic road network.
• Committed, medium-term
funding.
• Listening to and responding to
our customers.
• Greater independence from
Central Government.
On 19 March 2012, the Prime
Minister made a speech on the
importance of investing in the
nation’s infrastructure. He proposed
using innovative approaches to
the funding of our national roads
to increase investment and reduce
congestion. A feasibility study is
underway to explore how we can
deliver this, and a progress report
is due in the autumn.
A response from the Secretary of
State for Transport to the Strategic
Roads Review was issued on 24
May 2012. The Secretary of State
concluded that the Highways
Agency should remain an
executive agency, pending any
further decision after the feasibility
study concludes. Instead she has
set the challenge for the Highways
Agency to become a best in class
executive agency.
Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12