Case study

Highways Agency and Association of Chief Police Officers

Defining and developing the role of network operator for the Highways Agency

The English motorway and trunk road network is a key UK infrastructure - it accounts for over 36% of all vehicle kilometres travelled, despite representing only 4% of the total road length. Traditionally, traffic police have been solely responsible for handling incidents on trunk roads, such as dealing with vehicle collisions and removing debris from the carriageway. However, while traffic volumes (and consequently incidents) have increased steadily in the last four years, the number of traffic officers has fallen.   The police reform agenda is seeking to increase the amount of police time spent on tackling criminality at the expense of non-core activities - resulting in less police time available to deal with incidents on the trunk road network. To fill this gap, the Government has tasked the Highways Agency to take on more of an operational role, in addition to roads maintenance and building.   PA Consulting Group was commissioned by the Highways Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to undertake a strategic review of the existing roles and responsibilities of traffic police and the Highways Agency in managing and operating trunk roads. The aim of this review was to align delivery responsibilities with whichever  organisation is best suited, from both a policy and operational perspective.