Transport and Highways

The County Council has a statutory responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of Hampshire's highway network, with the exception of motorways and trunk roads for which the Highways Agency is liable. This includes the management of open areas within the highway boundary and amounts to around 10,000 km of road, ranging from rural lanes to major arterial routes.

In all its highways work, the Council's policy is to protect and enhance biodiversity.

With regard to new schemes, the Ecology Group is consulted at an early stage to assess the environmental impact of proposals. Information and advice is provided to project managers and engineers, in order to ensure negative impacts are avoided or minimised through appropriate survey, design and mitigation.

Whilst maintenance works are, by their nature, less likely to have a significant effect on biodiversity, the Ecology Group supports the Highways Group in the planning and execution of these works.

The Highways Maintenance Management Plan (HMMP) contains policies and procedures for the management of vegetation within the highways boundary, including one to protect and enhance biodiversity.

The maintenance of road verges is an integral part of the highways programme.