A new digital model of England’s motorways and A roads has been unveiled, promising to make journeys safer, faster, and more efficient.

Developed by National Highways in partnership with Ordnance Survey (OS), the innovation utilises cutting-edge mapping and data integration to transform the management and maintenance of the country’s strategic road network (SRN)

The mapping spans approximately 4,500 miles of roads.

In the mix

The new model integrates nearly 30 layers of data, encompassing everything from road names, locations, lanes, and widths to vehicle restrictions, transport links, and height and weight limits.

Crucially, it provides a detailed digital representation of England’s busiest routes, enabling planners, operators, and technology partners to make better, faster decisions.

To ensure accuracy, the system also features a built-in feedback mechanism that enables users to report data quality issues and contribute to ongoing improvement.

It underpins a range of National Highways data services and APIs, which include information on road closures, lane restrictions, and diversion routes, all using a shared, consistent geography.

The digital model has now been released publicly via the National Highways Digital Lab Open Data Hub, meaning it can be accessed by councils, businesses, academics, and even vehicle technology developers.

National Highways states that its goal is to support innovation, enhance journey safety, and reduce congestion across the country’s most critical transport routes.

Better data, smarter roads, happier drivers

By linking this data model with real-time updates from across the road network, local authorities and transport planners can gain clearer visibility of events such as roadworks and diversions, as well as their knock-on effects on surrounding roads.

This could help manage traffic flow more effectively and reduce delays, which National Highways estimates cost the economy around £3 billion per year.

The benefits will also extend to the freight and logistics sector, which relies heavily on predictable journey times.

With more accurate information, companies can plan routes more efficiently, helping goods reach their destinations on time while reducing fuel costs and emissions.

In the consumer sphere, car manufacturers and navigation providers will be able to integrate live data on signage, speed restrictions, and road closures directly into in-vehicle systems.

This will support the development of smarter, safer driving technologies, particularly for connected and autonomous vehicles, by providing continuously updated information about the road ahead.

Academics and researchers are also expected to benefit from having access to a single, authoritative dataset for studying transport efficiency, sustainability, and safety trends.

A milestone 

John Kimmance, Chief Customer Officer at Ordnance Survey, said the collaboration marks a significant step forward in using trusted national mapping data to boost transport performance.

“The efficiency of the strategic road network plays a vital role in driving economic growth and supporting environmental goals by helping to reduce congestion and emissions,” he said. “By using OS’s accurate geospatial data as the foundation, National Highways has created an innovative tool that enhances safety, efficiency, and cost-effective planning across both public and commercial sectors.”

Davin Crowley-Sweet, Director of Digital Technical Competence at National Highways, described the project as a “major milestone” for the organisation’s digital transformation.

“By making the network model data publicly available, we empower our partners — from wayfinding companies to local authorities — to enhance services, improve efficiency, and innovate,” he said.

Diluting delays

The initiative comes as Department for Transport (DfT) figures reveal increasing congestion on England’s roads. Average delays now stand at 11.6 seconds per vehicle per mile, a 5.5% rise on the year ending June 2024. In London, average speeds on the SRN decreased by nearly 4mph in the past year, and by almost 5mph since the pandemic began.

With congestion and delays on the rise, National Highways hopes its new digital model will mark the beginning of a smarter, data-driven era for England’s roads — one that helps keep the country moving safely and efficiently well into the future.