Following the Government’s Integrated Transport White Paper and Roads Review, the New Approach To Appraisal has been adopted for the appraisal of all major highway projects. The appraisal methodology was first set out in the Guidance on the Methodology of Multi-Modal Studies (GOMMMS) and is now fully incorporated into Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG). It is necessary to move highway appraisal onto this methodology to maintain consistency with the Multi-Modal Studies and with the appraisal of other modes.
Prior to the adoption of the New Approach To Appraisal, the definitive guide to environmental assessment of highway schemes has been the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 11. While this guidance remains current, it now needs to be applied in a manner consistent with the New Approach To Appraisal as set out in TAG.
The link between GOMMMS and DMRB was provided by Applying the Multi-modal New Approach to Appraisal to Highway Schemes (“The Bridging Document“). The Bridging Document was written to enable those carrying out highway project appraisal to interpret the multi-modal, study-based, appraisal advice in GOMMMS. It provides the guidance needed to ensure that the appraisal of highway economy and safety impacts is in line with the approach set out in GOMMMS. It also provides advice on the need for a change in the approach to scheme design and development, to reflect the need for a balanced improvement across all five objectives, rather than the maximisation of transport economic efficiency and safety.