We want to enhance your communities and your environment

11 October 2019

Highways England is committed to minimising the impact of developing new roads and maintaining the existing roads on the local community and the environment. We do this through careful routing, considered design and well-planned construction.

The government has made funds available via Highways England to help develop infrastructure within local communities – these are known as Designated Funds. These funds allow for development beyond “business as usual”, near our strategic road networks, maximising opportunities to deliver additional improvements and better protect the environment.

We’re proud to be a part of the wider government effort to create lasting places to live and work that are safe, enjoyable and contain the infrastructure needed to ensure the area can thrive. However, we recognise there is a need to go further to ensure that not only the direct benefits, but also the additional created value is recognised in local communities and not just by road users.

In spring 2019 we held workshops, attended by a number of organisations and local groups, to identify opportunities and stimulate new ideas that could potentially be developed as part of the Oxford to Cambridge expressway. By engaging with groups at this early stage of the project, we were able to gain a better understanding of the different opportunities available and ensure we can incorporate them into our proposals.

We’d love to hear your ideas and recommendations for this project. We’ll be asking key stakeholders and the public about their ideas in the coming stages of engagement and consultation. As soon as we’re able, we’ll share the timeline for our non-statutory consultation.

Read more about our Designated Funds and where they have enhanced different projects.