A proposed overhaul of the Department for Transport’s road-length statistics could reduce the recorded length of England’s minor road network by 6%, while increasing the total recorded for locally managed major roads.
The changes relate to how roads are measured and allocated in official data, rather than to any physical reduction in the network. The preliminary findings were presented by Dr Elizabeth Wloch, the DfT’s road length statistics lead, at LCRIG’s Strictly Highways conference in Blackpool.
Ordnance Survey data to replace local returns
The DfT is proposing to replace its periodic local authority road-length return with Ordnance Survey data as the sole source for the statistics. Councils would continue to contribute through information submitted to the National Street Gazetteer, which feeds into Ordnance Survey products.
The revised methodology is intended to improve data quality, reduce reporting requirements for councils and provide a more detailed picture of the publicly maintained network. It would also apply consistent measurement rules nationally and allow annual estimates to be produced separately for C roads and unclassified roads.
“First of all, we just want to improve the data quality,” Dr Wloch told delegates. “With our new methodology now, we can say exactly which roads are in and which roads are out of any of our datasets.”
Implications for councils
Preliminary comparisons indicate that most English local authorities would record shorter minor road networks, covering B roads, C roads and unclassified roads. The figures for locally managed major roads would generally rise. The comparison excludes trunk roads and the strategic road network.
Some of the change results from more precise treatment of roads crossing local authority boundaries. Under the proposed approach, a road that had previously been assigned wholly to one authority could be divided between neighbouring authorities according to its position relative to the boundary.
The DfT said it had held targeted discussions with authorities showing the largest changes and used maps to examine the differences. Dr Wloch said some councils had reported that the proposed figures aligned more closely with their own internal records than the current published statistics.
Road length is significant for local government because it accounts for about 80% of highways funding and is also required in councils’ transparency reports, according to Dr Wloch.
Planned publication in 2027
The DfT plans to introduce the new methodology in its Road lengths in Great Britain 2026 publication, expected in spring 2027. An accompanying paper will compare the old and new figures.
Engagement with local authorities will continue alongside work with Ordnance Survey and GeoPlace. Dr Wloch urged councils to keep their National Street Gazetteer records accurate and work closely with their gazetteer custodians.
“Make sure it is the most accurate reflection of your local authority’s network, so that we can then use the best data that we have available,” she said.