Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
How We Manage Our Roads
In this section you can find out more about how we manage and maintain these roads and plan for the future
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
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Helpful ways to access the latest traffic information when you need it.
M3 London to Southampton Route Management Strategy
M3 London to Southampton Route Management Strategy
Executive Summary
This report presents the Route Management Strategy (RMS) developed for the M3 Motorway fromJunction 1 Sunbury, south west London to Junction 14 Southampton. This RMS also includes the first500m of the A316(T) trunk road in south west London.
The M3 Motorway is a radial route from south west London and is approximately 93.5 kilometreslong. The M3 serves an area from the M4 Motorway in the north to the A3 Trunk Road in the southand provides access between London and the A303 Trunk Road to South West England.
This RMS contains a set of Route Outcomes that will promote studies and interventions to improve theoperation and maintenance of the M3 Motorway.
This RMS addresses the recommendations from the recently completed Multi-Modal Studies, namelythe London Orbit Multi-Modal Study, the Thames Valley Multi-Modal Study and the South CoastCorridor Multi-Modal Study. Comments from the South West and South Wales Multi-Modal Studywere also taken into account. Further details can be found in Section 3.6.
Chapter 3 of this report contains details of Policy Objectives as they relate to the M3, in co-ordinationwith the Government's Ten Year Transport Plan and the Highways Agency's Strategic Plans. ThePolicy Objectives for the route are considered using the five investment criteria of Safety,Environment, Economy, Accessibility and Integration. Local transport and planning policy objectiveshave also been identified and further details of these can be found in Appendix E in Volume 2 of thisdocument.
The Route Functions and Performance for the M3 are identified and analysed in Chapter 4. Thechapter reports the determination of the Strategic, Regional and Local Functions of the M3 within thestudy area. Within the chapter, factors affecting the route performance are identified by matching theStrategic, Regional and Local Route Functions against the five investment criteria.
Chapters 6 and 0 outline the Route Outcomes and Strategy Impact Statement, intended to guideinvestment into and improvement for the M3. The Strategy Impact Statement briefly describes theRMS Review process and outlines the impact the Route Outcomes will have on the future operationand maintenance of the M3.
Part 2 of Volume 1 contains the Land Use and Development Control Statement for the M3,highlighting the relationship between communities and the transport network anticipated to serve it.This chapter gives details of the planning policies and guidance pertinent to the M3 as well as currentand proposed major developments likely to impact on the future operation and function of the M3.
Volume 2 of this document contains the Appendices for this RMS, including the traffic and congestiondata.
Following a period of public and stakeholder consultation, this Route Management Strategy has beenformally published and adopted. A Route Management Plan will be developed by the HighwaysAgency to plan and carry out actions to fulfil the Route Outcomes over the next ten years.
