Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria with respect to good design they intend to establish in their new plans for the Highway Agency.

It is government policy that our major road improvements should follow good design principles. For example, in "Action for Roads" we made it clear that any improvements to the network must be made in a way that supports the nation's overall quality of life. This means that our strategy for roads, and detail requirements will need to:

• Be designed to minimise environmental impacts and, where possible, tackle existing problems.

• Build on existing cooperation with organisations like Natural England to find the best solutions to environmental challenges.

• Continue to work in a planning framework which protects the wider environment.

We are establishing the first Roads Investment Strategy, which includes a performance specification for the new strategic highways company. This will aim to ensure that the company's design and delivery activities align with the overall goals that government has for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Good design, including how the SRN interfaces with built environments and impacts on quality of life, will need to be an important element of both the process and the implementation.