New digital road network model will lead to safer and more efficient journeys

Trusted data from OS has provided the foundation for a new and innovative digital representation of more than 4,500 miles of motorways and A roads in England known as the Strategic Road Network (SRN).  

The model contains critical and timely information about the SRN in nearly 30 different layers. This includes attribution data about the names, location, lanes and widths of motorways and A roads, transport links and nodes, and height and weight vehicle restrictions.

There is also a built-in mechanism for continuous improvement through user feedback and reporting of data quality issues. The model also ensures common geography across five recently released APIs which hold datasets such as road and lane closures and diversion routes.

Developing the model 

The SRN is the most heavily used of the national road network, carrying a third of all traffic and two-thirds of all freight. We estimate that delays on England’s roads, including the SRN, cost around £3 billion per year. Accurate data about these roads is fundamental to the efficient movement of people, goods and suppliers. 

The Network Model is derived from OS MasterMap Highways Network data, enriched with our own datasets. While drawing on previous versions of network models, this is the single, most trusted and authoritative version to date.  

The collaboration has been made possible by a new strategic partnership with OS. Next steps include a secondment from OS to work on future enhancements of the Network Model. 

Sharing the model

The Network Model has been released publicly via the Digital Lab Open Data Hub to support the commercial and public sectors in making informed decisions and to support innovation on the SRN.

With the model as its foundation, the Digital Lab data services provide government and local authorities with better visibility of events, such as roadworks on the SRN, including where these impact local authority roads.

This will help to manage congestion due to closures and diversions, and will support the economy by enabling the freight and logistics industry to better predict journey times and deliver goods and services safely. 

Car manufacturers will also benefit from updates on signage, speed restrictions, hazard warnings and road closures fed directly into in-vehicle navigation systems, alongside other navigation apps.

This allows the planning of safer and more efficient journeys for road users. Academics and charitable organisations will also benefit from having a single, authoritative model and geospatial data for their research. 

Davin Crowley-Sweet, our Director of Digital Technical Competence, said: 

“Ordnance Survey is the most authoritative provider of national location data, providing us the strongest foundation for this most comprehensive model of the Strategic Road Network to date. Our partnership is a major milestone for National Highways as we evolve into being a customer services provider and provide connected data services to external organisations that improve the customer journey.

"By making the Network Model data publicly available, we empower our partners such as wayfinders, local authorities, and researchers to enhance services, improve efficiency, and innovate.”

John Kimmance, Chief Customer Officer at OS, added:

“The efficiency of the Strategic Road Network plays a vital role in driving economic growth, maintaining a balanced and resilient transport system and supports environmental and sustainability goals by potentially helping to reduce congestion and emissions.

"Working with Ordnance Survey to use the most trusted and accurate data as a foundation in the new Network Model, National Highways has developed an innovative tool designed to enhance journey safety and efficiency for all users, while also supporting cost-effective planning across both public and commercial sectors.”

As part of an exemption process to publish data publicly under the Open Government Licence, OS approved the Network Model for release to the public. The Model is available now via National Highways Open Data, data.gov, and Living Atlas. 

For further information, contact Digital Lab Geospatial at: spatialportal@nationalhighways.co.uk