ORR opens full investigation into National Highways after 'recurring issues'14/02/2024 The roads monitor has opened up a wide-ranging investigation into National Highways' performance, which it says has dipped in a number of areas. |
Stopped vehicle detection hits target but 85% of testing data unusable18/12/2023 National Highways has made significant progress on smart motorway safety according to a new report from the roads monitor however concerns remain about the strength of the underlying testing data. |
ORR tells National Highways 'time is running out' on safety target18/12/2023 National Highways is off course to meet its key safety target of halving KSIs by 2025 - compared to a 2005 to 2009 average baseline - and been told by England's road monitor to draw up an urgent action plan. |
ORR changes tune on whole-life asset management17/10/2023 National Highways’ performance against its key performance indicator for pavement condition varies across its regions, despite meeting the target, its monitor has said. |
National Highways faces barriers to RIS 2 success18/07/2023 National Highways has generally delivered well for road users over the past year but faces continuing challenges with its big projects, its monitor has said. |
Exclusive: ORR turned blind eye to smart motorway target switch01/12/2022 National Highways’ official monitor has admitted that it was aware that the government-owned company had moved the goalposts on one of its key smart motorway safety pledges, and now claims to be ‘holding it to account’ against the watered-down target. |
ORR kicks live lane crash fears into long grass15/11/2022 The strategic roads monitor has ‘begun’ work to assess the effectiveness of radar-based stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology on smart motorways, a year after a recommendation from MPs that was agreed by ministers in January. |
National Highways risks falling behind on enhancements20/07/2022 National Highways’ official monitor has criticised it for a lack of foresight over two major schemes that failed to start work on time and warned of an increasing number of schemes ‘at risk’ of missing start or completion dates. |
ORR raises safety, asset management and biodiversity concerns15/07/2022 National Highways met its road investment strategy targets in 2021-22, but its official monitor has raised concerns about three ‘critical’ areas of delivery, including traffic officer response times on smart motorways. |
Only half of road closures on the SRN notified correctly09/02/2022 All National Highways regions are currently performing ‘well below’ its target level for the accuracy and timeliness of notifications of overnight road closures, according to its monitor. |
RIS safety target in doubt without lockdown17/01/2022 New analysis suggests National Highways would have missed a vital road safety target if traffic levels had not plummeted during the pandemic. |
ORR to up scrutiny of RIS 3 deliverability08/12/2021 The Office of Rail and Road plans to increase its scrutiny of future funding for the strategic road network as plans are drawn up for the third road investment strategy. |
ORR looking for new Road Expert Panel members09/11/2021 The Office of Rail and Road is recruiting new members for its Road Expert Panel, which meets four times a year to provide 'insight on highways sector interests and issues'. |
ORR to increase focus on environmental monitoring08/11/2021 National Highways' monitor will have an increased focus on environmental issues this year as it assesses whether the strategic roads operator is turning its ambitions into reality. |
Highways England makes slow start on RIS 216/07/2021 Highways England is off to a shaky start in its delivery of the second Road Investment Strategy, with planning delays creating risks to the delivery of the programme, according to the Office of Rail and Road. |
PM backs Larkinson to stay on as ORR boss24/02/2021 The Office of Rail and Road has confirmed John Larkinson as its permanent chief executive officer, following a public competition and the endorsement of the prime minister. |
ORR flags regional variations on SRN10/02/2021 The performance of Highways England’s network continued to show large regional variations in the last year of the first Road Investment Strategy, its monitor has said. |
Exclusive: ORR road safety staffing level 'less than one person'03/09/2020 The highways monitor for the English strategic road network (SRN) does not have a single member of staff whose job is focused solely on road safety, Highways can reveal. |
'Stop treating us like Network Rail': Highways England and ORR, debates and denials23/07/2020 Highways England was initially ‘in denial’ about needing to prove it had made the level of efficiency savings it was claiming, its regulator has said. |
Highways England must ramp up safety spending, RSF says23/07/2020 An independent review of Highways England’s spending on safety has found that it is inadequate to meet its short-term and long-term safety targets. |
Call to scrap All Lane Running as smart motorway deaths rise
Panorama: Faulty smart motorway tech 'means Russian roulette'
Exclusive: A quarter of smart motorway schemes fall below safety benchmark
