Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Road types - official
Strategic road network (SRN) – nationally significant roads used for the distribution of goods and services, and a network for the travelling public. In legal terms, it can be defined as those roads which are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Transport. It is managed by the National Highways. Any road on the SRN is known as a trunk road.For analytical purposes, the department has identified a framework of strategic national corridors (SNCs). Individual roads in the SNCs are known as routes of strategic national importance (RSNI).
Primary road network (PRN) – roads used for transport on a regional or county level, or for feeding in to the SRN for longer journeys. Defined as roads that provide the most satisfactory route between places of traffic importance. The PRN includes the entirety of the strategic road network. No roads classified lower than an A road should be included in the PRN. A roads on the PRN are coloured green on most maps, as opposed to the red of ordinary A roads.
The PRN is constructed around a series of primary destinations – significant locations that are likely to attract traffic. A road on the PRN is known as a primary route.
A road – highest class of classified road, and top tier of the roads classification system. They are identified by the local highway authority (where they are not in the SRN) and approved by the Secretary of State. Each A road is given a unique identifying number from a list maintained by the Department for Transport.
All sections of the strategic road network and primary route network which are not classified as motorways are classified as A roads.
B road – second tier in the classified road system. Identified by the local highway authority and approved by the Secretary of State. Each B road is given a unique identifying number from a list maintained by central government.
Classified unnumbered road – third class of classified road, and a tier in the roads classification system. Identified by the local highway authority and approved by the Secretary of State. No number is officially associated with a classified unnumbered road, although the local highway authority is entitled to develop its own methods to identify it.
Unclassified road – fourth and lowest class of classified road in the classification system. If not stated otherwise, roads are assumed to be unclassified. No number is officially associated with an unclassified road, although the local highway authority is entitled to develop its own methods to identify it.
Special road – a road on which certain types of traffic are prohibited, under the Highways Act 1980. All motorways are Special Roads, together with some high-grade dual carriageways.
Principal road – a category of road identified in the Highways Act 1980, consisting of all A roads and motorways. This term is now largely unused except in legislation.
Secondary road – roads that are not principal roads – ie B roads, classified unnumbered roads and unclassified roads.
