Editing Transport in the United Kingdom (section)

==Road transport==
{{Main|Roads in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:M1 motorway from a footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 3058021.jpg|thumb|[[M1 motorway]] in [[Yorkshire]] is an example of an urban motorway.]]
The [[List of motorways in the United Kingdom|road network in Great Britain]], in 2006, consisted of {{convert|7596|mi}} of trunk roads (including {{convert|2176|mi}} of motorway), {{convert|23658|mi}} of principal roads (including {{convert|34|mi}} of motorway), {{convert|71244|mi}} of "B" and "C" roads, and {{convert|145017|mi}} of unclassified roads (mainly local streets and access roads) – totalling {{convert|247523|mi}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2007 Edition |date=September 2007 |publisher=UK [[Department for Transport]] |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/tsgb/2007edition/transportstatisticsforgreatb2007 |access-date=2 March 2008 |archive-date=17 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117095215/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/tsgb/2007edition/transportstatisticsforgreatb2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="bbg">{{cite report |title=Motoring towards 2050: Roads and Reality |author1=Banks, N |author2=Bayliss, D |author3=Glaister, S |date=28 November 2007 |website=RAC Foundation}}</ref>

Road is the most popular method of transport in the United Kingdom, carrying over 90% of motorised passenger travel and 65% of domestic freight.<ref name="bbg"/> The major motorways and [[trunk roads]], many of which are [[dual carriageway]], form the trunk network which links all cities and major towns. These carry about one third of the nation's traffic, and occupy about 0.16% of its land area.<ref name="bbg"/>

The motorway system, which was constructed from the 1950s onwards. [[National Highways]] (a UK [[government-owned company]]) is responsible for maintaining motorways and trunk roads in England. Other English roads are maintained by [[Local government in the United Kingdom|local authorities]]. In Scotland and Wales roads are the responsibility of [[Transport Scotland]], an executive agency of the [[Scottish Government]], and the [[North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent]] and [[South Wales Trunk Road Agent]] on behalf of the [[Welsh Government]] respectively.<ref name="admin">{{cite web |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/roads/howroadsaremanagedintheuk |title=How roads are managed in the UK |publisher=Department for Transport |access-date=18 November 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071025014933/http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/roads/howroadsaremanagedintheuk <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 25 October 2007}}</ref> Northern Ireland's roads are overseen by the [[Department for Infrastructure Roads]] (DfI Roads).<ref name="admin" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/index/whatwedo.htm |title=What We Do |publisher=Roads Service Northern Ireland |access-date=18 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116194830/http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/index/whatwedo.htm |archive-date=16 November 2007 }}</ref> In London, [[Transport for London]] is responsible for all trunk roads and other major roads, which are part of the [[Transport for London Road Network]].
[[Toll road]]s are rare in the United Kingdom, though there are a number of [[toll bridge]]s. Road traffic congestion has been identified as a key concern for the future prosperity of the United Kingdom, and policies and measures are being investigated and developed by the government to reduce congestion.<ref name="dft_congestion">{{cite web |title=Tackling congestion on our roads |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/roadcongestion/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423050200/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/roadcongestion/ |archive-date=23 April 2008 |publisher=Department for Transport}}</ref> In 2003, the United Kingdom's first toll motorway, the [[M6 Toll]], opened in the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] area to relieve the congested [[M6 motorway]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m6toll.htm |title=M6 Toll (formerly Birmingham Northern Relief Road) |work=The Motorway Archive |publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust |access-date=18 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623074741/http://www.iht.org/motorway/m6toll.htm |archive-date=23 June 2009 }}</ref> Rod Eddington, in his 2006 report ''Transport's role in sustaining the UK's productivity and competitiveness'', recommended that the congestion problem should be tackled with a "sophisticated policy mix" of [[congestion pricing|congestion-targeted road pricing]] and improving the capacity and performance of the transport network through infrastructure investment and better use of the existing network.<ref name="eddington">{{cite web |title = The Eddington Transport Study |author = Rod Eddington |date=December 2006 |url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/eddingtonstudy/ |publisher = UK Treasury}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Speech by Rod Eddington to the Commonwealth Club in London on 1 December 2006 |author = Rod Eddington |date = December 2006 |url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/187604/206711/speech |publisher = [[Department for Transport]] |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080704081713/http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/187604/206711/speech |archive-date = 4 July 2008 }}</ref> [[Congestion charging]] systems do operate in the cities of [[London congestion charge|London]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2770721.stm |title=Smooth start for congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=18 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007}}</ref> and [[Durham city congestion charge|Durham]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/4893106.stm |title=Toll road lawyers in award hope |work=BBC News |date=9 April 2006 |access-date=23 November 2007}}</ref> and on the [[Dartford Crossing]].

Driving is on the left.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070312 |work=The Highway Code |title=159–161: General rules |publisher=[[HMSO]] |access-date=25 November 2007}}</ref> The usual maximum speed limit for cars and motorcycles is {{cvt|70|mph}} on motorways and dual carriageways.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070304 |title=117–126: Control of the vehicle |work=The Highway Code |publisher=HMSO |access-date=18 November 2007}}</ref> On 29 April 2015, the [[UK Supreme Court]] ruled that the government must take immediate action to cut air pollution,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32512152 |title=Court orders UK to cut NO2 air pollution |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=29 April 2015 |access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref> following a case brought by environmental lawyers at ClientEarth.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.clientearth.org/news/press-releases/uk-supreme-court-orders-government-to-take-immediate-action-on-air-pollution-2843 |title=UK Supreme Court orders Government to take "immediate action" on air pollution |publisher=ClientEarth |date=29 April 2015 |access-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505041213/http://www.clientearth.org/news/press-releases/uk-supreme-court-orders-government-to-take-immediate-action-on-air-pollution-2843 |archive-date=5 May 2015 }}</ref>

===Cycle infrastructure===
{{main|Cycling in the United Kingdom}}
The [[National Cycle Network]], created by the charity [[Sustrans]], is the UK's major network of signed routes for cycling. It uses dedicated bike paths as well as roads with minimal traffic, and covers {{convert|14000|mi}}, passing within a mile of half of all homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/national-cycle-network/about-network |title=About the National Cycle Network|website=Sustrans.org.uk |access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref> Other cycling routes such as [[The National Byway]], the [[Sea to Sea Cycle Route]] and local cycleways can be found across the country.

Segregated cycle paths are being installed in some cities in the UK such as London, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff. In London, Transport for London has installed Cycleways.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cycleways|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/routes-and-maps/cycleways|website=Transport for London}}</ref>