Safety the biggest concern for walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders near England’s major roads

26 August 2026

In a new report published by Transport Focus, we bring together seven years of insight into the experience of walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders alongside England’s major roads, speaking directly to those who use these routes. 

Two major themes emerged from this work. Road users want to feel safer when travelling near major roads, and they want the infrastructure they rely on to be properly maintained. 

What have we learnt over seven years of insight? 

• Safety is the overriding concern. Users want to feel protected from fast-moving traffic. 

• Maintenance makes a real difference. Getting the basics right improves the user experience at relatively low cost. 

• Dedicated infrastructure matters. Without safe and well-designed crossings, users feel unsafe and overlooked.  

• Local context is critical. Collaboration between National Highways, local authorities and communities is essential.  

Users told us they want to feel protected from fast-moving traffic. Whether they’re crossing a road, using a shared path or navigating a busy junction, feeling safe is fundamental to making a journey with confidence. The research highlights the importance of safe crossings and dedicated infrastructure, but delivering these improvements can be challenging and costly, particularly on fast dual carriageways where bridges and underpasses may be the only realistic options. 

That doesn’t mean smaller interventions don’t matter. Measures such as reducing speed limits, clearing vegetation and repairing surfaces can still have a noticeable impact on how safe people feel, often for a fraction of the cost. 

 One of the most encouraging findings from this work is that it has helped drive real change on the ground. In Yorkshire and the North East, research carried out in 2021 highlighted concerns about crossings, connectivity and the condition of infrastructure used by walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders. Since then, improvements have been delivered or are progressing at a number of locations, including Langsett on the A616, Cold Heseldon on the A19, the A19/A1058 Silverlink junction and the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine scheme. These range from safer crossings and improved access to plans for new bridges and underpasses.  

The research is also becoming more embedded in day-to-day practice. In Yorkshire and the North East, National Highways inspectors now regularly walk routes used by walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders to identify maintenance issues and opportunities for improvement. Building on this progress, we are now working with National Highways on a pilot to better understand how maintenance can be used to improve the experience of these users 

After years of listening to users, the message is simple: people want to feel safe and considered when travelling near major roads. Meeting those expectations won’t always be easy, but the evidence shows that targeted investment, good maintenance and partnership working can make a real difference. 

Louise Collins