Councils to have more control on how their roads appear on maps or satnav systems

Changing of roads classification could reduce congestion on local routes

The government has proposed devolving decision making on how local council's roads appear on maps or satnav systems.

Local authorities are to be given greater controls on how their roads appear, as they are the best-placed to decide the classification of local roads.

At present, if a council wants to change the classification of one of its roads it has to be approved by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Letting councils change the classification would help them make clear to drivers which roads are most suitable for through-journeys, potentially reducing congestion on local routes.

Under the new system, councils will have control over road classification decisions in their area - including which roads should be used as primary routes without having to get approval from the DfT, who will only deal with contentious cases where there are serious disagreements about a council's decision.

Local authorities will be required to send a formal record of any changes to its road network to DfT but the current eight forms will be replaced with one.

For the first time, policy about the road network and classification will be made available to the public, which will help motorists and communities to hold central and local government to account for their decisions.

This will also include policies on detrunking and trunking - the process by which a local authority takes over a road from the Highways Agency or vice versa. This will help explain why some roads are run nationally, and where they could be run locally.

Local and Regional Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "I believe in giving power to local people. This reform will cut red tape and mean councils can better control traffic in their area."

"By making it less onerous for councils to ensure road classification better reflects conditions on the ground, journeys will be easier to navigate."

Further information:
Department for Transport