Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Baroness Kramer’s remarks on 3 July (HL Deb, col GC 358), what the "significant further development" as stated in the prefatory note to the Strategic Highways Company: Draft Licence will include in its "robust requirements" in relation to the role of design.
Answer
There is a strong link between quality design and quality of life and as stated in my response of 30 June it is government policy that our major road improvements should follow good design principles. The draft licence already makes it clear that the strategic highways company must comply with sustainable development; paragraph 4.3 of the licence’s aims and objectives defines sustainable development as including the need to improve the quality of life for current and future generations.
The licence has been published in draft to help understanding on the overall governance structure for the strategic highways company and in support of the measures in the Infrastructure Bill. Work is continuing on refining the content of the final document.