1-835 Smart Motorways DMRB

Highways England has an obligation under the licence agreement to review and update the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. The Smart Roads Group currently own one Interim Advice Notes (IAN 161/15), which requires migrating into the DMRB as GD301. The other two previously owned (IAN 111 and 112) have been withdrawn. In addition to this, a draft IAN that has been produced for HSR to ALR conversion needs to be converted into the new DMRB format (as GD302) for publication.

Highways England is procuring technical consultancy services to support their DMRB tasks.

Following an initial review of the usability, structure and content of the DMRB, Highways England is committed to developing a work programme to refresh the DMRB during the first Roads Period so that it reflects the needs of its users. A Protocol Agreement is in place that requires that the DMRB 'must seek to reduce the number of prescriptive standards and increase the number of performance standards in line with industry best practice, and thereby reduce the number of departures from standards'

The increasing number of schemes being developed on the motorway and trunk road network as a result of the Roads Investment Strategy (RIS), places considerable pressure on the departures approval process. As a result, this also creates a driver to reduce the number of departures from the DMRB where this can be done by relaxing requirements, based on appropriate evidence.

This work will contribute to the outcomes of the Roads Investment Strategy (RIS), Highways England Strategic Business Plan and our commitments in the Delivery Plan by providing updated, clear and consistent requirements and advice for smart roads.

The task will also contribute to delivering on Highways England's commitment to review and update the content of the DMRB by 2020 including reducing the number of individual RADs and reducing the number of departures.