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.
Traffic news on your desktop
Helpful ways to access the latest traffic information when you need it.
Route Functions and Objectives Route Functions
The Highways Agency in its management of the motorway and trunk road network towards this end, the HA are guided by a number of key objectives:
- Giving priority to maintenance whilst minimising whole life costs
- Developing the network operator role
- Reducing congestion and increasing journey time reliability
- Carrying out the targeted investment programme
- Minimising the environmental impact of the trunk road network
- Improving safety for all road users
- Working in partnership and promoting choice and information for travellers
Providing focus for these key objectives within the Governments 5 investment criteria, the HA have produced a set of strategic plans, outlining its method, strategy and vision for the future. These plans provide the context for the development of a set of performance functions for the M1 and M10 which reflect the character and operation of the route.
National Functions
| NF1 | Forms part of a major transport link between London and the M25 to the East and West Midlands, the North West and Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| NF2 | Forms part of the Trans European Road Network |
| NF3 | Provides a route for heavy and wide loads |
| NF4 | Provides a link to London Luton Airport |
| NF5 | Provide the main route for coaches between London and Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton and the North |
| NF6 | Provide a key link for freight from M25 to the Midlands and the North |
| NF7 | Forms a Highways Agency landscape and biodiversity corridor |
Regional Functions
| RF1 | Provides a major north south road transport link between the M25 and the North Circular Road |
|---|---|
| RF2 | Provides a major transport link between regional centres of population and employment |
In accordance with the work undertaken by the LSMMMS; it is recognised that the M1 will continue to form a crucial aspect of the regional transport network.
Local Functions
| LF1 | It relieves communities of traffic along its length |
|---|---|
| LF2 | It provides a distributor function around large population centres including Luton, Milton Keynes, London and Northampton |
| LF3 | It acts as a commuter route |
Function Performance
The future route performance of the M1 and M10 is dependent on improvements to their operation and maintenance that will begin to resolve the conflict between their functions.
Through maintenance studies and schemes that the RMS can identify and recommend, these also have the potential to influence and improve the route functions and therefore give greater route performance whilst minimising whole life costs.
The RMS anticipates changes in the functions of the route that will incorporate greater integration between local and strategic-regional functions. Reducing the conflict between functions is likely to make a greater impact on route performance, improving safety for all users, increasing journey time reliability and improving integration and accessibility for the route's catchment area.
Route performance can be affected by potentially large traffic generating developments or land use.
The Land Use and Development Control Statement of this RMS proposes how the HA will respond to planning applications and to future development plans or strategies which have the potential to increase traffic movements and reduce route performance. There is strict development control along the M1 and M10 due in part to the environmental sensitivity and designation of the countryside adjacent to the route. The future of the route's performance in the period of this RMS is likely to be affected by some of the proposed major developments.
The following tables indicate factors that are affecting route performance in co-ordination with the Highways Agency's five investment criteria.
- Factors Affecting Route Performance Functions - National Functions.
- Factors Affecting Route Performance Functions - Regional Functions.
- Factors Affecting Route Performance Functions - Local Functions.
(For further details please see tables 4.1 - 4.3 in the main report. Available as a PDF in the Publications section.)
Future Route Functions
Identify possible factors affecting the performance of the existing functions of the M1 and M10. Integrating these factors into the existing functions within the context of the Existing Route Functions has led to the development of a set of future functions for the route. The nature of the route is such that the future route functions include all existing functions (NF1-NF7, RF1-RF2 and LF1-LF3), all of which are expected to hold for the life time of this RMS. There are, however, an additional function, that will become increasingly important over time.
Future National Functions
There are no changes expected to the National Functions, subject to the availability of capacity.
Regional Functions
The additional Regional Function is:
| RF3 | Provides quick and safe journeys for athletes, officials and spectators during the 2012 London Olympics. |
|---|
Future Local Functions
There are no changes expected to the Local Functions, subject to the availability of capacity.
