1. Runways 2015 6 – 7 July Paul Harwood
Good afternoon – My name is Paul Harwood. I am the Regional Lead for Economic Development in the Guildford office of Highways England

2. Introducing Highways England
On 1 April the Highways Agency became a government company responsible for England’s Strategic Road Network (SRN). Our obligations include:
Ensuring the effective operation of the network
Ensuring the improvement, enhancement and long-term development of the network;
Protecting and improving the safety of the network;
Encouraging economic growth
First a word about Highways England, a name that may be unfamiliar to you. Highways England is the reincarnation of the Highways Agency as a public company. Our obligations are perhaps what you would expect of a national highway authority but I would like to draw your attention to our obligation to encourage economic growth.

3. Introducing Highways England
We manage and maintain 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads
Our highways account for only 2% by length of all England’s roads, yet we carry a third of all national traffic
Our motorways and A roads carry two-thirds of all freight traffic
Our network of motorways and A roads is worth over £110 billion
As these headlines show, our network is small in terms of length but is hugely important to the economy and represents a massive capital investment.

4. England’s Strategic Road Network in London and the South East
Key
Motorway
Trunk Road
Gatwick and Heathrow Airports
Here is what it looks like in London and the South East

5. Introducing Highways England
The capacity of many of our roads is increasingly inadequate.
By 2040, traffic on the SRN will be between 27% and 57% higher than it was in 2013.
Road traffic forecasts indicate that, by 2040, around 25% of the entire SRN and 32% of the motorway network will experience severe congestion at peak times and suffer poor conditions at other times of the day.
But our network is already under strain, particularly in the South East, and the situation is forecast to deteriorate.

6. DfT Road Investment Strategy
The Road Investment Strategy sets out future plans for England’s Strategic Road Network, including:
29 major schemes in London and the south east - £2.2 billion to be invested up to 2020
Upgrades to 10 of the 31 M25 junctions
These problems are being addressed through the Government’s Road Investment Strategy.

7. Major schemes near Heathrow and Gatwick
M4 Smart Motorway between junction 3 (Uxbridge) and junction 12 (west of Reading)
M23 Smart Motorway between Junction 8 (M25 interchange ) and junction 10 (Crawley)
M25 Smart Motorway and widening between junction 10 (A3) and junction 16 (M40)
As part of the Roads Investment Strategy major capacity enhancements are being prepared near Heathrow and Gatwick.

8. Smart Motorways M4 J3-12 M25 J10-16 M23 J8-10
In broad terms each scheme will provide an additional lane of capacity in each direction by using the hardshoulder as a running lane. This is supplemented by extensive use of technology to monitor and manage traffic.
These schemes will be implemented over the period to

9. M25 South-West Quadrant
SW quadrant contains 9 of the 10 busiest sections of England’s Strategic Road Network
Severe congestion is a regular occurrence
The investment programme will help improve conditions on this stretch, but further widening of the road beyond this point would be a considerable feat of engineering
But after 2020 there is a particular problem with the South West quadrant of the M25 which means that further interventions will be needed; and to continue widening the M25 may not be a viable or acceptable option.

10. SW Quadrant Strategic Study
Led by the DfT
The end result needs to be a lasting solution, which can keep people moving for a generation to come
Looking further ahead we need to consider whether there are alternatives to the M25. The Department for Transport will take forward a strategic study which will look at long term options for the South West Quadrant of the motorway.

11. SW Quadrant Strategic Study
Far-reaching study that can consider all of the options for transport in this area, taking account of any relevant findings from the Airports Commission
Will need to consider how to make best use of different transport modes and the local road network
Will also need to consider whether it is possible to strengthen or provide alternative routes for traffic to relieve pressure on the M25 itself
The strategic study will look at all modes of transport and at the possibility of providing alternative routes as well as expanding the M25 itself.

12. Our role in Airport Expansion
The Highways Agency
Engaged with all three shortlisted promoters
Provided advice to promoters
Provided advice to the Airports Commission
But as a part of the DfT did not participate in Airports Commission consultations
As the Highways Agency we have been engaged will all three of the shortlisted promoters from an early stage. Working with them we have agreed improvements to their original proposals to make them safer and more resilient. We have also engaged with the Airports Commission, working as a part of the DfT. But as part of a DfT we did not participate in the Airports Commision’s formal consultations.

13. The Proposed Heathrow North West Runway
Turning now to the proposal recommended by the Airports Commission.

14. Here is how the north west runway will affect the M25 in particular
Here is how the north west runway will affect the M25 in particular. The M25 and its links to the M4 will be in tunnel beneath the new runway.
We are aware that the idea of putting the M25 into tunnel has caused some controversy.

15. M25 Tunnels About 600m of M25 in tunnel
Both Heathrow promoters modified their proposals to improve the safety and resilience of the tunnels:
4 separate structures
Minimise need to change lanes
Positioned so as to minimise problems during construction.
In our discussions with the Heathrow promoters we have given particular attention to the tunnels.
We have asked that the main carriageways of the M25 should be placed in separate tunnels and in separate tunnels from the link roads.
This creates four separate tunnels which means that most incidents should be contained to one carriageway.
The tunnels will also be sited away from the existing motorway, so we can minimise delays during construction.

16. In more detail you can see how the main carriageways are separated from the link roads.

17. Bell Common Tunnel (view from M25 Westbound direction)
And here is one we prepared earlier – about the same length as the Heathrow proposal but Heathrow would have four tunnels instead of the two here.

18. Air Quality Road traffic a major contributor to pollution
Currently air quality fails to meet EU limits at a number of locations on our network around Heathrow
However improving engine technology is progressively reducing pollution
Airports Commission analysis suggests that air quality (Nox) on our network will be within EU limits in 2030 with the NW runway.
Air quality is a major issue for expansion of Heathrow and road traffic is a major contributor to air pollution.
Air pollution from the M4 was a problem for the previous proposal for a third runway at Heathrow.
However improvements in engine technology are reducing pollution and this is set to continue.
The Airports Commission analysis shows that by 2030 pollution from the M4 will no longer be an impediment to the expansion of Heathrow.

19. Euro Standards for Passenger Cars
Pollution of Vehicles
Euro Standards for Passenger Cars
Nitrogen Oxides (Kilotonne)
The left hand graph shows how nitrogen oxides have fallen nationally and the table how emissions on new vehicles compare with those from older ones.
As old vehicles are scrapped pollution will fall further.
Source: SMMT
Source: Defra National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory

20. Heathrow Traffic In Context
Airport demand with North West runway as a percentage of total demand:
M4 (Junctions 2-3) 30%
M4 (M25 – Junction 5) 13%
M25 (M4 – M40) 11%
M25 (A3 – Chertsey) 7%
M3 (M25 – Junction 3) 5%
Also relevant to airport expansion is the extent to which traffic would impact on our network both in proximity to the airport and on the wider network.
The impact of an expanded Heathrow on our network varies but drops rapidly away from its immediate vicinity.
Airports account for a small proportion of overall traffic on our network.

21. Conclusions In respect of the Strategic Road Network:
No showstoppers at Heathrow (or Gatwick)
Airport demand is a limited percentage of overall demand
Main issue is existing congestion and overall traffic growth
Schemes and studies to address this are programmed.
So in summary an expanded Heathrow will require improvements to our network in the immediate vicinity of the airport. There are viable proposal to achieve this.
There is a wider problem of congestion but airports and expansion of them are only a small part of this. The schemes and studies in the Roads Investment Strategy will address the wider issue.
These conclusions are substantially the same for expansion of Gatwick.

22. Thank You