National Highways

PFD Addressee
Reports: 65 Earliest: Dec 2013 Latest: 12 Feb 2026

80% 2-year response rate (below 83% average). 24% of classified responses show concrete action taken.

Response Status (last 2 years, 15 reports)
Responded 12
AI Classification
Action Taken 24%
Action Planned 53%
Noted 22%
Disputed 1%
Based on 78 classified responses
PFD Reports Received by Quarter
Clear
PFD Reports
43 results
Rita Thomas and Christine Dale
All Responded
2026-0093 12 Feb 2026 Cumbria
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The junction design, coupled with the national speed limit on the A684, provides drivers with insufficient reaction time, increasing the risk of serious collisions.
Action Taken (AI summary) • Junction 37 was classified as a high harm location, initiating multi-agency reviews. • A coordinated package of safety improvements was implemented in December 2024. • The council conducted a full speed review of the A684 in partnership with the Cumbria Constabulary Safety Camera Unit in November 2024. • National Highways has upgraded and improved the approach signing. • ’STOP’ signing and approach lane delineation markings have been installed. • Transverse yellow markings have been laid along the direct approach from the M
Nathan Cyster
All Responded
2026-0051 3 Feb 2026 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Hazardous right-turn manoeuvres, absent "left turn only" signage, ineffective road markings, and ambiguous legal guidance for crossing double white lines collectively create a dangerous road environment.
Noted (AI summary) National Highways will investigate road markings, signing, and carriageway layout on the A5, with a view to identifying mitigation measures to reduce injudicious overtaking. Implementation of any measures is subject to funding availability, with the investigation to be completed by 30/06/2026 and implementation in FY 2026-27. • Moss Farm Shop has asked Midland Signs to prepare a "no right turn" sign to be placed at the exit of the car park. • Moss Farm Shop will advise drivers leaving the shop not to turn right.
Darren Reilly
All Responded
2025-0362 18 Jul 2025 Hertfordshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) An unexplained gap in the motorway safety barrier, adjacent to established trees, poses a significant risk of severe injury or death if vehicles lose control and leave the carriageway at high speed.
Action Planned (AI summary) Nottinghamshire Police has revised its policy on s.136 detentions and will consult with EMAS regarding implementation. It will explore extending the hours of the Street Triage Team (STT) until 0300hrs, subject to collaboration with NHS partners. The force agrees that the concerns about mental health services for dual diagnosis is not a matter for them. EMAS will revise its policy on s.136 detentions and provide mandatory training for all frontline staff. It will engage with commissioners to advocate for service development to address the gap for patients with dual diagnosis (mental health and substance misuse) and strengthen guidance around dual diagnosis in training. National Highways will undertake a Road Restraint Risk Assessment Process (RRRAP) to assess the need for VRS or other mitigations at the specified location. They will complete the assessment before 31 December 2025 and report findings by 13 February 2026.
Leigh Nardelli
All Responded
2025-0328 29 Jun 2025 Milton Keynes
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) National Highways knowingly delayed replacing hazardous P1 terminal designs for financial reasons, creating an ongoing safety risk for vehicles on designated roads.
Action Planned (AI summary) National Highways will commence formal survey work of the barrier provision and condition on the A5 and, subject to network need and funding, will progress the replacement of six ramped end terminals with compliant bifurcations.
Patrick Mongan
All Responded
2025-0267 2 Jun 2025 South Yorkshire East
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A mound of earth on the motorway central reservation creates a dangerous hazard, causing loss of vehicle control and risking catastrophic accidents for road users.
Action Taken (AI summary) National Highways levelled the central reservation at the specific location of concern to eliminate any deviation in level between the carriageway and the reservation.
Kevin O’Reilly
All Responded
2025-0088 17 Feb 2025 Staffordshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) All lanes open motorways present a significant hazard due to insufficient emergency stopping areas spaced 1.6 miles apart and a lack of continuous monitoring.
Action Taken (AI summary) National Highways details actions regarding all lane running motorways including stopped vehicle detection technology and emergency areas, and outlines a communications plan including multiple campaigns in Autumn and Winter 2025.
Jane Bennett
All Responded
2025-0074 6 Feb 2025 Northamptonshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The junction of St Johns Road, Tiffield and the A43 Northamptonshire is dangerously difficult to manoeuvre, posing a high risk of further accidents and fatalities without intervention.
Action Planned (AI summary) National Highways is planning minor surfacing works for Summer 2025, including refreshing road markings and reflective road studs, and investigating vegetation clearance. They are also investigating potential improvements for the junction of St John’s Road, such as signage, as part of a larger resurfacing scheme planned for late 2026.
Alexander Thomas
All Responded
2025-0029 16 Jan 2025 Manchester South
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths Suicide
Concerns summary (AI summary) A pedestrian walkway beneath the M56 motorway provides easy, unguarded access to the eastbound carriageway's hard shoulder via a ramp and fixed ladder, unlike the securely fenced westbound side.
Action Planned (AI summary) National Highways will repair the boundary fence at the edge of the hotel car park and Hasty Lane, extending this to cover the wing walls of the structure. They are also in discussion to establish if it is feasible to maintain a more remote access to the electrical cabinets and remove the ladder from the retaining wall.
Nigel Sweet
All Responded
2024-0711 23 Dec 2024 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A dangerous stretch of the A38 with a high collision rate lacks funding for a proposed average speed camera safety scheme.
Action Planned (AI summary) National Highways has agreed, but not yet secured, business case and funding for the Average Speed Camera System (ASCS) and work is scheduled to commence in Q1 2025/26. They plan to complete the initial design completion package for ASCS and speed limits by March/April 2025.
Emma Harper
All Responded
2024-0500 11 Sep 2024 Manchester West
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths Suicide
Concerns summary (AI summary) A specific footbridge, excluded from barrier height improvements implemented on other local bridges, remains a risk for falls onto the motorway. The rationale for this exclusion is unclear.
Noted (AI summary) National Highways acknowledges the concerns but states that funding constraints require prioritizing bridge upgrades based on the number of suicide-related incidents, and there are currently no plans to increase the parapet fence height at the specified footbridge. They will continue to monitor and assess all locations in the North West. Salford City Council states that the bridge structure is a National Highways asset, and they will assist with traffic management if needed.
Mason Portman
All Responded
2024-0477 27 Aug 2024 West Yorkshire (Western)
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The absence of appropriate road markings and signage on a slip road regarding speed or curvature ahead created dangerous driving conditions.
Disputed (AI summary) National Highways investigated the incident and states that the current layout and signing strategy comply with best practice guidance and legislative requirements and therefore they do not propose any alterations to the current junction layout or speed limit along the slip road, except for replacing a damaged sign.
Tracey Haybittle
All Responded
2024-0469 22 Aug 2024 Milton Keynes
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Satnav verbal commands at a specific junction are confusing drivers, causing them to turn the wrong way onto a slip road, creating a frequent and serious risk of collisions.
Action Planned (AI summary) Google is working on improvements to the timing of the audio guidance on Google Maps and anticipates providing enhanced audio guidance in situations such as those in this case. This will involve an amended audio prompt as a driver approaches a junction where they would cross an overpass: “after the overpass, turn right”. TomTom has implemented additional safeguards to limit driver confusion by timing verbal commands closer to the actual exit, after passing the off-slip road. The changes require users to update their maps for them to be effective. Apple is adding special voice guidance for drivers heading past the A5 offramp toward the A5 onramp, instructing them to "Continue straight at the overpass" and then "Turn right onto A5 toward Milton Keynes, Bletchley." National Highways installed temporary 'No Entry' signs, addressed sign interference, and is conducting CCTV monitoring to measure the effectiveness of the temporary layout. Feasibility work has been undertaken by external design consultants, to determine and recommend appropriate permanent changes at the junction.
Walter Faulder
All Responded
2024-0009 8 Jan 2024 Cumbria
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A busy pedestrian crossing, used by schoolchildren and older people, lacks adequate safety features, with concerns raised about the need for traffic lights to prevent future accidents.
Noted (AI summary) National Highways states that they are not the relevant highway authority and that Cumberland Council is responsible for the A595 at Orton Grange. Following a pedestrian survey, the Highways department has deemed the existing refuge adequate and proposes no changes to the current arrangement.
David Levett
All Responded
2023-0121 18 Apr 2023 Northamptonshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The absence of safe parking areas, like hard shoulders, on an all-lane running smart motorway created a significant safety risk for broken-down vehicles.
Action Planned (AI summary) National Highways will publish a Third Year Progress Report (2023) and a further report in 2024 regarding smart motorway safety. They also plan to retrofit over 150 additional emergency areas on ALR motorways by 2025, subject to governance. Further retrofitting will be considered as part of the 2025-30 Road Investment Strategy.
Benjamin Teague
All Responded
2023-0096Deceased 17 Mar 2023 Northamptonshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The A5 road between Pottersbury and Paulesbury is in a very poor state with potholes, posing a highway safety risk that requires urgent attention and repair from National Highways.
Action Taken (AI summary) National Highways increased safety inspections to twice weekly, imposed a 40mph speed limit, and completed resurfacing works on sections of the A5. Safety improvements were also implemented at the Paulerspury junction, including anti-skid surfacing and improved signage.
Stephen Wood
All Responded
2023-0047Deceased 8 Feb 2023 Dorset
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A significant road obstruction caused a fatal collision, highlighted by a lack of public awareness and legal obligation to report road hazards not directly caused.
Noted (AI summary) National Highways will conduct a study to identify options for improving road user notification of incidents, aiming to complete it by late Summer/Autumn 2023 and prepare an implementation plan. Dorset Road Safe partnership will add a clear link to their website indicating who to contact regarding road obstructions, highlight associated dangers, and launch a communications campaign across various media platforms to alert road users to obstructions on Dorset roads. Dorset Council, as part of Dorset Road Safe, will introduce a simple reporting process and contact information for obstructions/debris on the road to their website. A communications campaign will be constructed to alert all road users around obstructions/debris on Dorset’s roads using various media platforms. The Department for Transport outlines existing legislation and guidance regarding road obstructions, including the Highways Act 1980 and the Highway Code. They conclude that no further action is appropriate for the Department to take at this stage. BCP Council states that the response letter from the Dorset Police Chief Constable conveys the views of BCP Council, via the Dorset Road Safe Partnership.
Josie Archer-Smith
All Responded
2022-0399 7 Dec 2022 Mid Kent and Medway
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A specific M20 motorway section has a design flaw, combining an incline and camber, causing water to run across the carriageway and leading to frequent aquaplaning incidents and collisions.
Action Taken (AI summary) National Highways has already undertaken remedial works including drainage cleansing, pipe repairs and installation of kerbs to direct water to the gully. They plan to deliver a Medway and Allington Deck Refurbishment scheme in June-July 2023 which will replace surfacing with Hot Rolled Asphalt and replace vehicle restraint system and drainage to the distributor road.
Seth Thind
All Responded
2022-0323 17 Oct 2022 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton
Suicide
Concerns summary (AI summary) A bridge lacked safety barriers, emergency help points, mental health signage, and CCTV, despite a high number of crisis incidents and fatalities, indicating insufficient preventative measures.
Noted (AI summary) Hampshire County Council acknowledges the concerns but states that National Highways is responsible for the bridge in question. They offer to work collaboratively with National Highways to review solutions. National Highways will install Samaritans signs by September 2022, add the location to the South East "Network Needs" list by December 2022, add it to the agenda of Hampshire Safer Roads Partnership quarterly meeting in December 2022 and apply for funding for a study into suicide prevention at this location by September 2023.
Nargis Begum
All Responded
2025-0287 16 Sep 2022 South Yorkshire East
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The public lacks crucial understanding and awareness regarding their responsibility to report motorway incidents, despite existing SMART motorway campaigns, leaving stationary vehicles a significant hazard.
Noted (AI summary) National Highways expresses sympathy and highlights existing measures to improve safety, including public awareness campaigns and the Smart Motorway Safety Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan. They urge road users to inform themselves about emergency procedures and who to contact.
Zoltan Torok
All Responded
2022-0088 21 Mar 2022 Berkshire
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Smart motorways with no hard shoulder create risks for broken-down vehicles, compounded by occupant proximity to running lanes and confusion from mixing smart and traditional motorways.
Action Taken (AI summary) National Highways states that the section of motorway was under temporary traffic management and not operating as a smart motorway at the time of the incident, so they do not believe any additional actions are needed, but they have completed the roll-out of stopped vehicle detection on over 200 miles of ALR motorway, installed extra signs, and upgraded enforcement cameras. They also committed to deliver a £390 million programme to install additional emergency areas across operational sections.
Thomas Pickering
All Responded
2021-0289 20 Aug 2021 Suffolk
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The apparent lack of adequate signage, such as warnings for hidden dips or recent incidents, increases the risk of future road traffic collisions at the site.
Noted (AI summary) Suffolk County Council Highways has assessed the report and agreed to install a pair of hidden dip signs north of the Wallers Farm access, facing southbound traffic and will now proceed to design suitable locations, leading to the erection of new posts and signs in due course. National Highways states that they are not responsible for the A137 and cannot comment, advising the coroner to contact Suffolk County Council instead.
Lee Marsden
All Responded
2021-0084 26 Mar 2021 Manchester North
Police related deaths Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A significant delay in activating motorway warning signals and communication failure between agencies, combined with the lack of an internal review, indicate a missed opportunity for learning.
Action Planned (AI summary) Highways England will brief North West Highways England Regional Operations Centre staff and police officers on using 'free text' entries in incident logs, shared with all Regional Control Centres as best practice nationally. They maintain their existing policy for activating warning signals is robust and appropriate, and will not take further action on it. Highways England and the NWMPG have agreed to add a free text description to the log to clearly identify the source of information. Police operators and supervisors within NWMPG will be briefed to add this plain language to logs, with a briefing note circulated to staff.
Zahid Ahmed
All Responded
2021-0062 3 Mar 2021 Bedfordshire and Luton
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The M1 'Managed Motorway' section lacks a hard shoulder, creating a significant risk of future deaths when vehicles experience mechanical defects and cannot pull into a safe place.
Action Taken (AI summary) Highways England notes the concerns and lists measures taken since the publication of a stocktake, including upgrading CCTV coverage, increasing the number of emergency areas, improving the signage, increasing education campaigns and the messaging that is shown to drivers.
Daniel Hughes
All Responded
2020-0295 22 Dec 2020 Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Road safety concerns at a blind bend include poor visibility for right turns from a driveway, inappropriate speed limits, and the absence of warning signs.
Noted (AI summary) Highways England reviewed the location and determined that visibility is the responsibility of the property owner, the speed limit is appropriate, and they are not permitted to place a concealed driveway warning sign. No action is proposed.
Daniel Bancroft
All Responded
2020-0244 16 Nov 2020 Cumbria
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Dangerous road conditions on the A66 include a lack of pedestrian warnings, rapid acceleration onto an unlit section, poor lighting, and national speed limit signs placed too close to a roundabout.
Noted (AI summary) Cumbria County Council stated that the Road Traffic Collision occurred on the Highways England Authority's road network. They regularly meet with Highways England to discuss road safety but Highways England will address the issues raised. Highways England will install 'no pedestrian' signs and bollards on the A66 Stainburn Bypass within 3-6 months and also install pedestrian direction signing during the same timeframe. They concluded no other actions are required regarding speed limit proximity to the roundabout and lighting.