Councils given new powers to redraw map

Local authorities are being given greater control over how their roads appear on maps and satnav systems to help them to better direct traffic, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.

At present, if a council wants to change the classification of one of its roads - for example downgrading an ‘A’ road to a ‘B’ road - it has to have this approved by the Department for Transport.

From April next year local councils will be able to set the classification of all the roads under their control, without the need to secure Whitehall approval. This will help them make clear to drivers which roads are most suitable for through-journeys, potentially reducing congestion on local routes and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy both locally and nationally.

Norman Baker said: "This reform will cut out pointless form filling that has been around since the 1960s and lead to more local decision making. It will mean councils can better control traffic in their area by ensuring ‘A’ roads are placed where they want traffic to run and lower the category of a road in places they want traffic to avoid.

"Having consulted on our plans, we have learnt that councils and residents' associations all agree this is the right way to go forward.”

The everyday operation of the system will be entirely in the hands of the council. Central government will only deal with contentious cases via an appeals system where there are serious disagreements about a council's decision.

To ensure that motorists continue to get a consistent road network when they cross from one county to another, a council will need to consult neighbouring authorities before implementing cross-border changes.

Local authorities will be required to send a formal record of any changes to its road network to the DfT but the reporting system will be streamlined, with the current eight forms replaced by one.