Red route

File:Feltham, A312 Uxbridge Road - geograph.org.uk - 1161633.jpg

Red routes are major roads with red lines at the sides showing where vehicles are not allowed to stop. The prohibition extends to stopping for loading or unloading, and to boarding or alighting from a vehicle (except for licensed taxis and the holders of blue badges).{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/road-markings |title=Road markings |work=The Highway Code |access-date=11 January 2024}} Red routes are mainly used on major bus and commuting routes.{{cite web |url=http://www.westmidlandsltp.gov.uk/associated-groups/red-routes/ |title=Red Routes West Midlands |publisher=West Midlands Local Transport Plan |year=2010 |access-date=6 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728063225/http://westmidlandsltp.gov.uk/associated-groups/red-routes/ |archive-date=28 July 2013 }}

Red routes are marked by red lines on the sides of the road. Double red lines mean that the rules and regulations apply at all times and on all days. Single red lines means that the prohibition applies during times displayed on nearby signs or at the entry to the zone. Red route clearways are signed but there are no lines on the road. Stopping is only permitted in lay-bys (red lines are only marked at junctions).{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/finesandregulations/959.aspx |title=Transport for London Understanding road signs |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=1 April 2010}}

The lines were first introduced in London in 1991,{{cite web|author=The Committee Office, House of Commons|date=22 February 1999|title=Memorandum by The Traffic Director for London (IT 160) – Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs – Minutes of Evidence|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmenvtra/32/8120907.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027194116/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmenvtra/32/8120907.htm|archive-date=27 October 2016|access-date=14 July 2017|website=|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom}} and have also been applied in the county of West Midlands since 2003{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/redroutes |title=Red Routes |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=1 April 2010}} and Leeds since 2019.{{cite web|title=Double red lines introduced at Leeds Bradford Airport in crackdown on terror|url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/double-red-lines-introduced-leeds-15855056|last=Johnson|first=Kristian|date=20 February 2019|website=Leeds Live}} A similar scheme operates in Edinburgh; here, however, the routes affected (where marked by the use of green road-surfacing rather than red lines – usually on outer bus lanes on major bus routes) are known as greenways. Away from bus routes, conventional red lines are used.

The 390 miles of red routes in London are policed by "Red Route Patrols" and managed by London Streets, an arm of Transport for London.{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/investorrelations/4430.aspx |title=Surface Transport |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=11 August 2012}}

A number of hospitals in the United Kingdom have mimicked the red road lines, in and around ambulance dispatch and Accident and Emergency areas. These road markings are to allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles uninhibited access in and out of such areas; whilst these road markings are often respected by road users there is very little (if any) enforcement.

The Red Routes scheme was developed by the Department for Transport following the abolition of the Greater London Council in 1986 to address concerns that there was no London-wide road transport policymaking body.

A Traffic Director for London was appointed by the Department for Transport in 1991 to "streamline the flow of traffic in London" and oversee a London-wide strategy for road transport.{{Cite book|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C895|title=Records of the Traffic Director for London|date=1991–1999|others=Traffic Director for London|language=English}}

The director was responsible for creating a Network Plan, deciding on the priorities for road travel in London and how best to manage traffic flows. Roads in the Network Plan became the responsibility of the Traffic Director rather than localised London boroughs. The lines were first introduced in north and east London in 1991.

File:Red Route Westminster Bridge.jpg]]

In 1998, the Traffic Director identified nine priorities for the Red Routes scheme:

1. to facilitate the movement of people and goods in London—reliably and safely, and with minimum overall environmental impact;
2. to encourage walking;
3. to improve conditions for cyclists and contribute to the National Cycling Strategy;
4. to provide better conditions for people with disabilities;
5. to provide priority for buses so as to achieve their efficient movement;
6. to improve the local environment and reduce the impact of congestion;
7. to contribute to London's targets for reduced traffic accidents and road vehicle emissions;
8. to support reduced car commuting, especially into or across inner London;
9. to assist measures to reduce traffic on local roads by providing the first choice for non-local traffic, consistent with achieving the other aims for Red Routes.

Between 1997 and 2000, transport policy in the United Kingdom became a devolved matter under Tony Blair, with the Senedd in Wales and the Scottish Parliament assuming control over nationwide and regional transport strategy in their respective nations. When London was granted a devolved assembly and authority, which came into effect in 2000, regional transport strategy became the responsibility of the Mayor of London.{{Cite journal|last=Butcher|first=Louise|date=12 August 2020|title=Transport in Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03156/|language=en-GB}}

The Greater London Authority (GLA) Act 1999, which established the devolved administration in London, gave the Mayor of London a General Transport Duty to "develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London". Transport for London (TfL) became the highway authority for all roads under GLA control.{{Cite web|title=Greater London Authority Act (1999)|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/contents|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}

The Greater London Authority Act 1999 passed the management of motorways wholly within London and trunk roads over to the GLA. This caused several roads to be renumbered in London, including the A102(M) Blackwall Tunnel (to A102), the A40(M) Westway (to A40) and the M41 West Cross Route (to A3220).

Red Routes are managed and controlled by London Streets, which is an arm of Transport for London (TfL).

In Somerset, the local road safety partnership has designated some of the A roads within the county as red routes, indicating that they have a higher than average accident rate.{{cite web |url=http://www.safecam.org.uk/CameraSites/downloads/A37_RedRouteLeaflet.pdf |title=A37 Red Route leaflet |publisher=Somerset Road Safety Partnership |access-date=13 September 2010}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Safety-measure-busy-routes/story-12282177-detail/story.html |title=Safety measure for busy routes |work=This is Somerset (Western Gazette etc.) |date=30 May 2009 |access-date=5 August 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/taunton_news/4180006.A361_red_route_exhibition/ |title=A361 red route exhibition |work=Somerset County Gazette |date=9 March 2009 |access-date=5 August 2013 |author=Hill, Phil}}

The term has been similarly used to denote dangerous routes in Northamptonshire.{{cite news |url=http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/red-routes-total-rises-1-748958 |title=Red routes total rises |work=Northamptonshire Telegraph |date=28 April 2010 |access-date=5 August 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/features/accident-blackspots-on-red-route-revealed-1-883764 |title=Accident blackspots on red route revealed |work=Northampton Chronicle and Echo |date=27 April 2006 |access-date=5 August 2013}}{{cite news |title=Danger road' A6 now a Red Route|url=http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/crime/crime-news/danger-road-a6-now-a-red-route-1-5185588 |access-date=6 August 2013 |newspaper=Northamptonshire Telegraph |date=14 June 2013}} It was not clear whether the scheme would be maintained following the 2013 closure of the Road Safety Partnership whose initiative it was.{{cite news |title=Northamptonshire's road safety partnership disbands |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-12933461 |access-date=6 August 2013 |work=BBC News |date=1 April 2011}}

Lincolnshire has a scheme similar to the Northamptonshire one.{{cite news |title=RED ROUTES MARK 'DANGER' ROADS |url=http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/red-routes-mark-danger-roads-1-572680 |access-date=6 August 2013 |newspaper=Lincolnshire Free Press |date=28 January 2003}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Red-Routes-halve-road-casualties/story-11213344-detail/story.html |title=Road safety group claims Red Route signs are 'effective' as casualty figures halve |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=17 February 2011 |access-date=5 August 2013}}

The county of Cheshire, including the town of Warrington, also use the idea of red routes to designate roads with historically high accident rates.{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Nicola Davies|date=14 February 2008|title=Eleven roads have 'high risk of death'|newspaper=This is Cheshire|url=http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/news/2041821.eleven_roads_have_high_risk_of_death/|access-date=6 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920065624/http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/news/2041821.eleven_roads_have_high_risk_of_death/|archive-date=20 September 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/info/200531/road_markings_and_signage/813/red_routes |title=Red Routes |publisher=Warrington Borough Council |access-date=6 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605064834/http://www.warrington.gov.uk/info/200531/road_markings_and_signage/813/red_routes |archive-date=5 June 2013 }}

The former{{cite web |title=Suffolk safecam is now closed |url=http://www.suffolkroadsafe.net/suffolksafecam/ |publisher=Suffolk County Council |access-date=6 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130714132404/http://www.suffolkroadsafe.net/suffolksafecam/ |archive-date=14 July 2013 }} Suffolk speed camera organisation chose the expression red route to denote routes where high levels of accidents justify the frequency use of mobile speed cameras.{{cite book |title=Focus on Safety (leaflet) |publisher=Suffolk Roadsafe Board |page=2 |url=http://www.suffolkroadsafe.net/suffolksafecam/downloads/FocusOnSafetyAMENDED.pdf}}

Leicestershire County Council elected in 2008 not to implement a red route scheme, believing it can be misleading and arbitrary. It believes in identifying or solving individual danger spots instead.{{cite web |url=http://politics.leics.gov.uk/documents/s28499/Casualty%20Reduction%20and%20Red%20Routes.pdf |title=Accident reduction and red routes |publisher=Leicestershire County Council |date=17 April 2008 |access-date=6 August 2013}}

• Accident blackspot
• Clearway
• Double yellow lines

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes London red route rules]
• [http://www.westmidlandsltp.gov.uk/redroutes.php?id=2493 West Midlands red routes]
• {{cite web |url=http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lrsp/motorcyclists/roads-and-routes?tab=downloads |title=Red Routes |publisher=Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership |access-date=5 August 2013}}

Category:Road infrastructure

Category:Road infrastructure in the United Kingdom

Category:Road transport in the United Kingdom

Category:Road safety