Road User Voice – September 2016 – Road User Director’s editorial

24 August 2016

Over the last few months we’ve been working with Highways England to improve the customer experience of using the Dartford Crossing.

We’ve identified and highlighted several areas where improvements could be made, including changes to the Dart Charge website, roadside signage and communications. We’re pleased that our work will result in several enhancements for road users by the beginning of 2017.

And that’s not all – we’ve also brought about changes to help cyclists wanting to use the Dartford Crossing transfer service. A new, dedicated web page has been created to explain how to use it and the times of operation. Click here to learn more.

With the summer holidays in full swing many of us will have travelled to other parts of the country to get a well-earned rest. A great number of drivers will have used England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads to get there – sometimes travelling on new routes for the first time. The need for clear road signs (free from overhanging vegetation) that can be read well in advance is crucial.

We’ve recently held our Road User Panel to update stakeholders and the wider industry on our work to date. Topics covered included an update on our progress developing the Strategic Roads User Survey (SRUS), roadside facilities research launch as well as our work on the Dartford Crossing.

In other news, we’ve been in the East Midlands meeting Highways England to learn more about the new maintenance arrangements there. You can read more about our visit here. We have also met Highways England teams based in the North East and North West of England as part of our ongoing progress updates.

We continued work on our new research into users’ priorities for improvement to road surfaces. Another piece of research is also underway in to what road users would prioritise for improvement during the 2020-25 period – our results will help shape what Highways England is asked to deliver in future.

Finally, we’re continuing to work with Highways England to ensure lorry drivers are at the heart of the design for the new lorry area in Kent, and we’ll be publishing our research shortly. A consultation has recently been launched, which you can read here.

Guy Dangerfield
Road User Director
guy.dangerfield@transportfocus.org.uk

 

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