The Highways Agency

The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. The Agency's purpose is to provide safe and reliable long distance journeys on strategic national routes by managing the traffic using our roads as well as administering the network as a public asset. The strategic road network is valued at over £65bn and comprises some 5,130 miles of trunk roads, including motorways. Carrying a third of all road traffic and two thirds of all heavy freight traffic, it provides a vital service to commerce and industry and has a major impact on the lives of individuals and communities. The Highways Agency undertakes a wide-ranging programme of research & development, to support the delivery of its key operational objectives of reducing congestion, improving safety, protecting the environment, and delivering value for money.