If Government plans for new “strategic orbital routes” and “expressways” go unchallenged, some of our most precious countryside will be at risk.

The Government is consulting on future plans for the motorways and trunk roads that make up the Strategic Road Network. These plans will form the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) which will spend billions of pounds of public funds (including Vehicle Excise Duty) from 2020 onwards.

Photo taken in the Peak District National Park by Richard Walker under Creative Commons license.

You can read more about the plans here.

We think the priority should be making the existing network safer and greener, and cutting traffic levels, before planning major new roads.

Highways England says they aim to deliver “an overall positive impact on the environment” but without moves to cut CO2 emissions and stronger protection for landscapes and natural habitats, that won’t happen.

We’re particularly worried about plans for new “strategic orbital routes” which could bring a new generation of M25s on green field sites around our towns and cities, while proposals to upgrade A roads to motorway-standard “expressways” mean concreting over more of our countryside.

So we’re asking the Government to commit now as a minimum to no major road widening or new roads in our National Parks, ancient woodlands and other nationally important landscapes and wildlife sites.

Please add your voice (before the consultation closes on 7 February) and ensure the Government gets the message that we must not destroy our most precious countryside.

Respond to the consultation