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Highways Agency asks for views on new draft policy for motorway and roadside facilities

Highways Agency asks for views on new draft policy for motorway and roadside facilities

HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (HA62-07) issued by The Government News Network on 29 October 2007

A new draft policy for providing and operating motorway services and other roadside facilities on England's strategic roads has been published by the Highways Agency for a six-week public consultation.

To prepare the draft, the Highways Agency has reviewed the existing policy. It also issued a 12 week call for evidence which asked the views of road users, industry and other interested parties which closed in February of this year. That feedback has been used to prepare the draft policy, which is published today.

The consultation period will give road users, operating companies and other interested parties an opportunity to consider the draft policy and give the Agency their views.

The draft policy sets out how the Agency will regulate the provision of motorway service areas and rest areas, trunk road service areas and lay-bys to ensure they continue to provide safe and suitable roadside facilities for road users to take a break during their journey.

It says that the Highways Agency is now prepared to consider a number of new ideas which could lead to motorway service areas being used for conference facilities, coach interchanges or to provide a base for park and ride or park and share. Any development planned for service areas would be assessed using a system of Impact Assessment in order to protect the countryside and ensure that service areas do not become 'destinations in their own right'.

There is also a proposal to develop a new quality standard award for service facilities in partnership with the British Tourist Authority.

The draft policy covers the areas of:

* The location of motorway service areas; determining the need for such sites and the spacing interval between them;

* The type of facilities, how they are signed and their standards;

* Motorway rest areas;

* Service areas on trunk roads;

* Lorry parking;

* The provision and use of lay-bys;

* Park and ride/park and share facilities;

* Signing arrangements for all types of roadside facility.

Copies of the draft policy will be sent to stakeholders and those individuals and organisations who responded to the earlier call for evidence. It is also available on the Highways Agency website: http://www.highways.gov.uk/business/133.aspx. Alternatively, copies of the consultation document in electronic or hard format can be obtained by contacting:

Kathryn Burgess
Spatial Planning Team
Highways Agency
C3
5 Broadway
Broad Street
Birmingham
B15 1BL

Email: roadsidefacilitiesreview@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Comments on the draft policy should be returned to the Highways Agency's Spatial Planning Team by 11th December 2007. The address for responses is as above.

There are a number of areas of policy that the Government believes should remain unchanged as they are essential for the safe and effective operation of the strategic road network.

These include the long-standing requirement that motorway service areas should not become destinations in their own right, and there are no proposals to change any aspect of the current policy relating to the sale of alcohol at Motorway Service Area (MSA) sites. The Highways Agency does not believe alcohol should be available through the restaurants, shops or accommodation at MSAs since this could encourage consumption of alcohol by drivers and contravene the long-standing policy against drinking and driving.

Neither is it proposed to introduce any measures of pricing policy at motorway service areas. This will remain a matter for individual operators.

Policy considerations have also been informed by the Government's long-standing policy of opposing advertising on highway land.

Following the six-week consultation, consideration will be given to the need for any further changes in the light of the responses received and the document will be finalised for publication in the form of a new government circular. Until a revised circular is published, existing policy continues to be valid.

Notes to editors

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport, and manages, maintains and improves England's motorways and trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Agency is responsible for policy guidance on the location and operation of motorway service areas and trunk road facilities on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. The draft policy consultation document titled "Policy for service areas and other roadside facilities on Motorways and All-Purpose Trunk Roads in England" is available at: http://www.highways.gov.uk/business/133.aspx. The closing date for responses is 11 December 2007.

Development and Operation of Motorway Service Areas

3. Motorway service areas (MSAs) and other roadside facilities are subject to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which sets the framework under which local planning authorities are to consider applications for such developments. The Highways Agency is consulted in respect of road safety and traffic management issues.

4. Current Government policy relates only to MSAs and is set out in two documents, Roads Circular 1/94 and the MSA Policy Statement of July 1998. The Government's power to grant access from the highways to all roadside facilities is given under s62 of the Highways Act 1980.

5. Prior to 1992 the Department of Transport was responsible for developing MSAs: acquiring land, funding construction and leasing the completed sites to operating companies. Since 1992, Government policy has been that the private sector should take the initiative in identifying and acquiring MSA sites and seeking planning consent from local planning authorities. When completed these MSAs are owned by the private sector. The Government, through the Highways Agency, maintains an interest in motorway safety and traffic management.

6. There are currently 68 MSAs in England. The Government still owns the freehold of 21 sites, although the facilities at these locations are privately operated. All other service areas are entirely privately owned and operated.

7. MSA operators must comply with the requirements of Government policy, reflected in the Traffic Signs Agreements which they enter into with the Highways Agency. If they do not observe these conditions action can be taken which would ultimately lead to the closure of the sites.

8. The operators are responsible for all other operational matters at MSAs including issues such as pricing and staffing levels.

9. The development of trunk road service areas, lorry parking facilities and picnic areas has traditionally been led by the private sector with Government providing advice on road safety and traffic management issues.

10. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the minimum requirements which Motorway Service Area operators must provide will not change. These are:

* Free short term parking for all types of vehicle, sufficient free toilets to cater reasonably for the traffic flow on the motorway, a picnic area available, and fuel on sale 24 hours a day every day of the year

* All facilities must comply fully with equality legislation - ability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and age.

* Access is allowed for up to two hours for those carrying out emergency repairs to broken down vehicles.

Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office. For more information please contact: 0207 081 7443.

Out of hours the Highways Agency Duty Press Officer can be contacted on 020 7081 7443.

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