Introduction

In 1998, the Highways Agency (HA) was given its new role as network operator for motorways and other trunk roads in England. This remit provides an opportunity for the HA to influence and control how the trunk road network is used so as to provide the best possible service to all users.

To help to pursue its new role, the HA saw potential in looking ahead beyond the normal 5-10 year planning cycle in order to seek opportunities for the development of the network. Therefore the project "Vision 2030" was commissioned to enable the HA to look further ahead and adjust its role on the network; to enhance the range of services available; and to meet changed customer and infrastructure requirements.

Visions of the long-term future of transport are not new and numerous studies have been published. What is clear however is that issues such as traffic congestion, global warming, and environmental sustainability are with us now and highlight the need to think and plan further ahead. The HA needs to know the scale, nature and magnitude of these and other problems it will face in the future so that it can target resources appropriately.

The UK Department of Trade and Industry's Foresight Programme^[1] is a major initiative in this area and has developed four scenarios with a time horizon to 2040^[2].The Foresight Transport Panel has examined the implications of these for the transportation business over the next 20-30 years. More recent visions include those of young professionals under the direction of the Transport Visions Network^[3].

This chart from the Foresight Programme implies a current bias towards consumerism.

Vision 2030 Project

The Vision 2030 project provides an opportunity for the Highways Agency to forge and strengthen links with other organisations. Key stakeholders include certain government departments (especially Department for Transport, (DfT)), local authorities, the motor and telecommunications industries, the freight and road haulage industry, the police, motoring organisations and the public.