Councils to be handed power to set classification of roads under their control

Local authorities will be able from April next year to set the classification of all the roads under their control, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.

Under the current regime, a council has to secure the approval of the Department for Transport if it wants to change the classification of a road.

The reforms will also see:

• The DfT maintain a list of ‘primary destinations’. However, local authorities will decide by which routes they are best connected
• Central government only deal with contentious cases through an appeals system where there are serious disagreements about a council's decision
• Councils required to consult with neighbouring authorities before implementing any cross-border changes
• Councils required to send a formal record of any changes to its road network to the Department. However, the current eight forms will be replaced by one
• Further work carried out on linking the management of the system with satnav technology.

The DfT said the shake-up would help councils make it clear to drivers which roads were most suitable for through-journeys, “potentially reducing congestion on local routes and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy both locally and nationally”.

Baker said: "This reform will cut out pointless form filling that has been around since the 1960s and lead to more local decision making. It will mean councils can better control traffic in their area by ensuring ‘A’ roads are placed where they want traffic to run and lower the category of a road in places they want traffic to avoid.”

The DfT will issue guidance later this year to help local authorities with their decision-making.

The Department is to remain responsible for the Strategic Road Network (motorways and major A-roads operated by the Highways Agency) in England.