A historic agreement has been reached between National Highways – the government-owned company responsible for maintaining England’s motorways and major A roads – and Natural England. 

According to a National Highways press release, the deal between the two bodies is aimed at supporting the delivery of world-class national infrastructure, at the same time as ensuring improved environmental outcomes. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the landscape-led A417 Missing Link project. This reflects the aim behind the scheme to deliver four miles of a safer road with smoother traffic flow, while conserving and enhancing the Cotswold National Landscape’s special character, natural beauty, and wildlife.  

What does the organisations’ partnership seek to accomplish? 

The news release stated that the principal objective of the agreement was the improvement of environmental outcomes along the Strategic Road Network (SRN). 

It is anticipated that Natural England and National Highways will work alongside each other to make sure infrastructure development respects and enhances the natural world. 

National Highways is one of England’s largest landowners, with responsibility for managing more than 30,000 hectares. 

The former executive agency stated that, through its Environmental Sustainability Strategy, it had already dedicated itself to reconnecting habitats, reversing the decline in biodiversity, cultivating healthy ecosystems, and bolstering the resilience of the environment to a changing climate. 

National Highways added that its Dedicated Funds programme in the second roads investment period – spanning 2020 to 2025 – would see it invest £402.3 million into environmental schemes, including those that helped to maximise biodiversity and ensure conservation. 

Ambitions to “deliver better outcomes for people and nature” 

Nicola Bell, Executive Director of Major Projects at National Highways, hailed the agreement with Natural England as “a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering a transport network that not only connects communities but also works in harmony with the environment.”

She added: “Our work goes beyond just operating and maintaining our roads, and by collaborating more closely with Natural England, we can ensure that our infrastructure projects deliver better outcomes for both people and nature.” 

Natural England chief executive Marian Spain said: “Recovering nature and development can and must go hand in hand. New roads are some of the most complex and impactful infrastructure projects, but there are also opportunities to ensure that the National Highways network can help grow nature as well as enhancing travel and transport.” 

Among other benefits, the partnership will help the two organisations to: 

  • Understand approaches and seek alignment on government policies encompassing transport and the natural environment 
  • Promote and develop relevant natural environment initiatives that will assist with the improvement of environmental outcomes for species and habitats along, and close to, the SRN 
  • Where relevant, jointly develop research and collaboration opportunities 
  • Develop collaborative and impactful relationships at every level, covering legal, technical, strategic, and operational aspects 
  • Where practicable, engage with each other early on projects, so that the two organisations can be better placed to agree on and resolve issues early in the planning process. 

These are principles and objectives that our transport consultants at Transport Planning Associates (TPA) very much agree with, and we wish the two bodies well in their work together to develop a more sustainable transport network. 

To find out more about the guidance and expertise that our professionals can lend to your projects encompassing any of a range of forms of transport infrastructure, please don’t hesitate to contact your nearest TPA office.