The new agreement, signed on Friday (29 May 2015) by Highways England and Kent County Council, will improve planning and communication between the two organisations and improve journeys for the many thousands of drivers who depend on Kent’s road network every day.
The agreement includes:
- Protocols on agreeing and using diversion routes whenever a major road has to close
- More flexible use of electronic road signs giving drivers a more complete view of road conditions ahead
- Setting out how the organisations will work together during major events in Kent
- A joined up approach to helping drivers prepare for driving during winter
- Renewing commitments to support road users when Operation Stack is in place.
Simon Sheldon-Wilson, director of customer operations for Highways England, signed the agreement with Roger Wilkin, director of highways, transportation & waste at KCC.
Sheldon-Wilson said: “Customers rightly expect a consistent experience when using main roads and motorways. This agreement, the first of its kind, will help both organisations to provide that by bringing together best practice and building on the positive, day-to-day relationship we already have with Kent County Council. It will form a guide which anyone in either of our organisations can call upon and help provide a seamless service for customers across Kent.”
Wilkin added: “We have worked closely with Highways England to identify how we can improve the way we work together to better manage the highway network across Kent. We have developed a partnership agreement with the aim of empowering road users to better plan their journey and improve their journey times. Through effective joint working we will be able to minimise congestion and disruption, better manage incidents, improve planning for major events and optimise use of our assets to deliver effective messaging and consistent communication.”
The two organisations will share information about incidents better to improve the information on the county’s message signs. Roadworks will be co-ordinated to ensure that the diversion routes are available while the county’s roads are improved.
