Standards for Highways Resources

Introduction

The Highways Agency’s Standards for Highways website contains documents relating to the design, construction and maintenance of highways – principally those that make up England’s strategic road network (motorways and trunk roads).

It also links to sources of other useful information for highways construction professionals, including forthcoming documents for the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works.

This guide explains how you can use the Standards for Highways online resources.

The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) was introduced in 1992 in England and Wales, and subsequently in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides a manual system which accommodates current standards, advice notes and other published documents relating to the design, assessment and operation of trunk roads – including motorways.

It has been developed from a number of separate series of documents previously published.

Before accessing the DMRB, you should read ‘Volume 0 – Introduction and General Requirements’ for overall information on the use of the DMRB documents. Download the DMRB introduction from the Standards for Highways website (PDF, 201K).

These documents, together with later additions, have been gathered together in a consistent series of volumes within the manual to help in meeting the requirements of quality assurance procedures:

To give feedback on, or ask questions about, these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk

The Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works

First published in 1992, the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW) consists of several parts which include the administrative procedures for its use, the Specification for Highway Works and its corresponding Method Measurement.

You can read ‘Volume 0 – Introduction to the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works’ for overall information on the use of the MCHW documents. Download the MCHW introduction from the Standards for Highways website (PDF, 167K).

These documents, together with later additions, have been gathered together in a consistent series of volumes within the manual to help in meeting the requirements of quality assurance procedures:

To give feedback on, or ask questions about, these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Interim Advice Notes issued by the Highways Agency

Interim Advice Notes (IANs) are issued by the Highways Agency. They contain specific guidance, which should only be used in connection with works on motorways and trunk roads in England, subject to any specific implementation instructions contained within an IAN.

Whilst IANs must be read in conjunction with the DMRB and the MCHW – and may incorporate amendments or additions to documents in these manuals – they are not part of the DMRB or MCHW.

Find IANs on the Standards for Highways website.

You can also read the latest information on standards, advice notes, documents issued and withdrawn on the Standards for Highways website.

To give feedback on, or ask questions about, these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Future DMRB and MCHW documents

As well as the published documents forming part of the DMRB and the MCHW, the Highways Agency also provides information on forthcoming DMRB and MCHW documents. This includes:

  • ISBN details
  • date of publication
  • price

The documents in the table have been submitted for publication. Until the final ‘Publication Date/Info’ box has been completed, publication is not confirmed.

To give feedback on, or ask questions about these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Network Management Manual and Routine & Winter Service Code

The requirements and advice for the management of maintenance on the trunk road network are described in two documents, the Routine & Winter Service Code (RWSC) and the Network Management Manual (NMM).

You should read the introductory parts to each of the documents to understand their coverage. The Highways Agency intends for these documents to be updated on a regular basis to reflect changes to policy. Methods to publicise these changes are being developed.

The current version of the RWSC is Version 5.10, Amend No 3, July 2009. Download the RWSC from the Standards for Highways website (PDF, 507K).

This replaces Version 5.10, Amend No 2, January 2007. Download a summary of changes to the RWSC from the Standards for Highways website (PDF, 21K).

The current version of the NMM is Issue 1, Amend No 8, July 2009. This replaces Issue 1, Amend No 7, June 2008.

Download a summary of changes to the NMM from the Standards for Highways website (PDF, 28K).

Archive versions of the document are available by contacting Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk.

The NMM has been divided into sections in order to reduce download time:

To give feedback on, or ask questions about, these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Network Management Manual and Routine & Winter Service Code

The Standards for Highways website also features a collection of links to other useful sources of information, including:

  • the Department for Transport and Highways Agency websites
  • a full list of Sector Schemes
  • the Traffic Signs Manual
  • the Stationery Office website – where you can buy paper and CD copies of Standards for Highways documents

Find links to information on highway design, construction and maintenance on the Standards for Highways website.

To give feedback on, or ask questions about, these documents please contact Standards_Feedback&Enquiries@highways.gsi.gov.u

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