National Highways backtracks on pollution countermeasures claim

21/09/2023 | CHRIS AMES

National Highways has struggled to identify measures to tackle unlawful pollution levels on parts of its network, despite telling Parliament that it was already implementing countermeasures.

According to the latest annual assessment by the company’s monitor, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), 43 links on the strategic road network (SRN) breached legally binding limits on Nitrogen Dioxide in 2022-23.

This was an increase of 38.7% on the 31 links reported in the previous two years.

In its statutory annual report to Parliament (above), National Highways stated that, with the Department for Transport having already accepted that 15 links currently have no viable additional mitigation, it was ‘implementing air quality improvement measures for the remaining 28 links’.

However, in its 2022-23 annual assessment (below), the ORR noted that the company had put measures in place on eight of the 28 links and was ‘working to identify appropriate measures for the remaining 20’. The eight measures that were put in place were all speed reductions.

Both documents were published in July of this year.

Asked by Highways to comment on the disparity, National Highways denied that there was one, but stated: ‘For the remaining 20, we’ve been working to investigate whether we can introduce any of the measures available to National Highways to improve air quality’.

The admission that National Highways is investigating whether any measures can be introduced contradicts its previous assertion the interventions are already being 'implemented'.

The statement also implies that some links may have no viable mitigation measures.

National Highways has a KPI requiring it to bring links with illegal levels of NO2 into compliance ‘in the shortest time possible’ and the ORR is responsible for holding the company to account on this.

The ORR noted that National Highways was designing and implementing measures for the remaining 28 links with potential unlawful air quality, had put measures in place on eight and was ‘working to identify appropriate measures for the remaining 20’.

‘We are content with the progress that the company has made to deliver these measures,’ the ORR stated.

In a July 2021 report, National Highways, then known as Highways England, said there were 17 areas breaching air quality limits for which no solution was available, adding that five of these were provisionally forecast to be legally compliant in 2021.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Street Lighting Project Engineer

PO2 - £41,442 to £44,331
Help us keep our streets safe, efficient and ready for the future Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recruiter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Principal Engineer - Highways Development Management

£47,181.00 - £50,269.00, Grade 11, 37 hours, Permanent
We are seeking a dedicated Principal Highways Development Management Engineer to join our team. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Highways Development Management Engineer

£32,061.00 - £46,142.00, Career Grade 7-10, 37 hours, Permanent
Do you want to join a team helping to shape the future of Wakefield through HIghways Development Management? Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Highways Project Engineer

£31,537 - £42,839 per annum
Would you like to be part of our friendly, welcoming Highways team, proud to manage all aspects of the highway network? Boroughbridge, York
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Highways Project Engineer

£31,537 - £42,839 per annum
Would you like to be part of our friendly, welcoming Highways team, proud to manage all aspects of the highway network? Skipton, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Technician - Highway Inspector

Grade 8 £29,719 - £31,691 per annum
Within the Highways Maintenance Team we are looking for an enthusiastic, customer focused and experienced person Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Highway Design and Construction Manager

Grade N, scp50 £62,443 to scp53 £65,663 per annum, plus essential car user allowance
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. Bolton, Greater Manchester
Recruiter: Bolton Council

Technician - Highway Inspector

Grade 8 £29,719 - £31,691 per annum
At Derbyshire, we have been on a journey to transform the way we deliver highway services. Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Team Leader (Maintenance Operations)

Grade 10 - £48,226 - £51,356
Cardiff is growing faster than any other capital city in Europe. Cardiff (Caerdydd)
Recruiter: Cardiff Council

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor Forfar, Angus
Recruiter: Amey

Tree Surveyor

£Competitive
We are excited to offer fantastic opportunities for Permanent Tree Surveyors Scotland
Recruiter: Amey

Chief Operating Officer – South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee

£Competitive
We’re looking for a bold, visionary leader to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Recruiter: Carmarthenshire County Council

Clerk of Works - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Clerk of Works to join our dynamic NMC SW Account team at Polmadie. Glasgow, Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor to join our NMC NE account in Kinross. Perth and Kinross
Recruiter: Amey

Planner - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for Permanent Planner – Highways to join our NMC SW Account. Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Maintenance Manager

£51,356 - £55,539 per annum
We are looking for an experienced Engineer to join the team as a Highways Maintenance Manager Selby, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Highways Maintenance Manager

£51,356- £55,539 per annum
We are looking for an experienced Engineer to join the team as a Highways Maintenance Manager Brompton on Swale, Richmond
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Permit Officer - Internal works promoter - WMF2244e

£34,434 - £35,412
The streetworks Permit Officer role within the highways service Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highways Development Management Engineer

£41,816 - £45,175
You will be based in the Highways Development Team and work closely with colleagues across the wider transport service. Northamptonshire
Recruiter: West Northamptonshire Council

Transport Project Officer

£34,203 - £37,067
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated project officer to work in our Highways and Transport Service. Northamptonshire
Recruiter: West Northamptonshire Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW