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

  • AM4INFRA aims to develop EU asset management framework
    November 7, 2017
    The first European asset management framework package to improve decision-making, including cross-border asset management will be available in August 2018. The framework is being developed by AM4INFRA, a two-year Horizon 2020 project that is supported by the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) and ProRail, the Dutch national rail agency. H2020 is European Union Research and Innovation programme to boost the competitiveness and efficiencies of EU organisations. Funding for projects is nearly €80
  • All Party Group call for urgent action to end local roads deteriorating
    October 15, 2013
    Christopher Chope OBE MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Highway Maintenance, has called for UK local authority asset management plans to be made mandatory as part of urgent action to prevent local roads from falling into further disrepair. Chope made his anti-road deterioration rallying call during a reception to launch an APPG published report on local road condition.
  • €14.47bn to fix England and Wales local road network, ALARM Survey claims
    April 3, 2014
    The 19th Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey published today reports that the estimated cost to get England and Wales’ local road network back into reasonable condition has increased to €14.47 billion (£12 billion) from €12.06 billion (£10.5 billion) in 2013. For the second year in a row, more than two million potholes (2,010,749) were filled in England and Wales over the course of the previous year.
  • Sennebogen expands network with new Indonesian dealer
    January 6, 2017
    PT Gaya Makmur Tractors is now selling Sennebogen Green Line and Crane Line machines as the German company’s new distributor for Indonesia, based in the capital Jakarta. According to Sennebogen, thanks to the planned govermental infrastructure investments of US$465 billion between now and 2025, the largest country in south-east Asia has a great deal of potential for business and investment. The signing of the dealer contract, completed at bauma 2013, was preceded by extensive training and education of local