National Concrete Roads Programme
Making sure concrete roads remain safe, dependable and durable
Most of our network is surfaced with asphalt, also known as blacktop or tarmac, but some roads are built of concrete. These make up around 400 miles (4%) of England’s motorway and long-distance A-road network.
Concrete roads are mostly found along the eastern side of England, in the North East, Yorkshire, East Anglia and the South East. There are also some small stretches in the West Midlands, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
Concrete roads were built largely in the 1960s and 1970s, when traffic volumes were half what they are today. The concrete slabs that they're made with have proved tougher and longer lasting than asphalt.Over the years they've needed very little maintenance.
Decades of safe use and hundreds of millions of journeys mean these roads are nearing the end of their working lives. They need vital upgrades to ensure they remain safe, dependable and durable. Better surfaces will also boost ride quality and reduce noise for many years to come.
National Concrete Roads Programme
Our programme will ultimately replace our existing concrete roads with modern roads meeting current standards. It will take many years to achieve this.
Our priority is replacing sections of the concrete roads network. Until we can replace concrete roads, we'll maintain them so as to extend their life.
Replacement
Replacement is our priority. It involves full depth reconstruction where we replace the entire road to current standards.
Reconstructed roads will last for many years into the future.
We've completed replacement schemes at:
- A11 Spooner Row
- A12 Marks Tay
- A12 Margaretting
- A14 Haughley
Maintaining to extend lifespan
Until we can replace roads, we can extend their life by up to 10 years by maintenance - like repairing potholes and cracks on the road surface.
Managing road works
While we work, we'll minimise disruption to road users and the impact on local communities.
We'll make sure our plans are coordinated with other roadworks and help road users plan their journeys.
We want to help people continue their normal journeys as much as possible, with alternative and diversion routes when needed.
We want to make sure the money we invest means safer, smoother and more reliable journeys for road users. At the same time, we'll respect local communities and the environment.
You'll find details about individual road works in the Our roads section of this website. You can also visit our travel updates pages for more information.
We'll also work with local stakeholders and partners to make sure our customers are aware of works in advance.
Centre of excellence
Repairing and reconstructing our concrete roads will require new technology and techniques. Innovative new methods can reduce both the cost of the works and the impact of construction on roads users and communities.
We've established a Concrete Roads Centre of Excellence to test new technologies, tools and processes. This will help us work as efficiently and quickly as possible as we upgrade the concrete road network over the next 20 to 25 years.
We're already using the latest laser technology to check surface conditions without completely closing roads, reducing disruption for customers and our neighbours.
Protecting the environment
We plan to reuse the materials removed from our concrete roads in other road projects wherever possible. We'll also work with our supply chain to develop new techniques to reduce our carbon footprint.
Our works will also be carried out to high environmental standards, enhancing the environment wherever possible.
