Skip to main content

UK creates Major Road Network designation for A-class highways

The UK government plans to create of a Major Road Network class of highway which would tap into the multi-million euro annual National Road Fund. Main roads that are now overseen by local authorities would share the National Roads Fund that is financed by the VED – vehicle excise duty - which was previously envisaged to be ring-fenced for national routes. The VED was around €6.6 billion for 2016-17. Roads covered by the strategy are the A-class highways. The deal is part of an investment strategy unveiled b
July 10, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The UK government plans to create a Major Road Network class of highway which would tap into the multi-million euro annual National Road Fund.


Main roads that are now overseen by local authorities would share the National Roads Fund that is financed by the VED – vehicle excise duty - which was previously envisaged to be ring-fenced for national routes. The VED was around €6.6 billion for 2016-17.

Roads covered by the strategy are the A-class highways.

The deal is part of an investment strategy unveiled by transport secretary Chris Grayling. It aims to improve productivity and connectivity of towns and cities to give an economic boost to areas outside the heavily populated southeast area that includes London and major sea ports.

“The transport investment strategy sets out a blueprint for how we can harness the power of transport investment to drive balanced economic growth, unlock new housing projects, and support the government’s modern industrial strategy,” said Grayling.

The proposals for the Major Road Network respond to %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund study WH News link Rees Jeffreys Road Fund false http://www.futureroadsengland.org/ false false%> last year, which highlighted the disparity between the funding and planning of Britain’s motorways — the strategic road network — and local authority A roads.

The UK government is investing more than €69 billion up to 2020-21 improving national transport infrastructure, including road, rail, air terminals.

Related Content

  • Virginia state issues RFP for $2.1 billion Interstate 66 toll expansion
    December 23, 2015
    The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has issued a draft request for proposals (RFP) for the US$2.1 billion Interstate 66 tolled expansion project. Work under a 40-50-year public-private partnership is expected to include construction of 46km of lanes.
  • Recycled pavement use rises again in the US, according to NAPA
    January 16, 2015
    The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in the United States increased during 2013 after two years of no rise, according the latest report from the US National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). The report found that more than 73 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement and 1.7 million tons of reclaimed asphalt roofing shingles were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the United States during in 2013. Using recycled asphalt material saved about $2 billion in 2013 over the use of virgin materials,
  • E&E Event 2018 in Berlin: an asphalt industry fit for purpose
    May 15, 2018
    The provisional programme is now available for this year’s Euroasphalt and Eurobitume Event in Berlin. June 14-15. The focus of E&E 2018 will be on the preparations needed by the asphalt industry to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the future. Important strategic issues will be explored, some of which were highlighted in the E&E Congress 2016. These include the increasingly stringent economic aspects of supply and demand, the growing environmental issues over highway construction and use, health
  • Michelin and IRF partner up to provide road statistics
    December 13, 2013
    Michelin has partnered with IRF to mark the global launch of the 50th Anniversary edition of the World Road Statistics. The World Road Statistics (WRS) have now been published every year since 1964. To mark this half-century of achievement, IRF has released a commemorative 50th Anniversary edition that compiles 12 years of data to provide a comprehensive statistical review of the evolution of international road and land transport from the dawn of the Millennium to the present day.