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.