Motorists will get new ‘ mini-motorways ’ as part of a £15billion overhaul of the nation ’ s highways . Busy A-roads will be revamped – with roundabouts and traffic lights stripped out – to cut delays and transform them into ‘ mile-a-minute expressways ’ . Details , included in a strategy by the Highways Agency presented to Parliament , also include new slip roads to make the roads flow and banning slow moving vehicles such as tractors and bicycles . New roads : Busy A-roads will be revamped – with roundabouts and traffic lights stripped out – to cut delays and transform them into ‘ mile-a-minute expressways ’ Up to 18 A-roads are likely to be transformed in the first tranche with seven more to follow . The strategy document says : ‘ Our ambition for the next 25 years is to revolutionise our roads . ’ Our busiest A-Roads will become expressways , providing improved standards of performance , with technology to manage traffic and mile-a-minute speeds . ‘ Users of motorways know they can expect a broadly consistent standard from the whole of their road , and that this ensures they have a safe , free-moving journey. ’ But it notes : ‘ The same is not true of A-roads , where piecemeal upgrades have often resulted in inconsistency and substandard stretches of the road that are often less safe and a regular cause of congestion . ‘ By 2040 , we want to have transformed the most important of these routes into expressways : A-roads that can be relied upon to be as well-designed as motorways and which are able to offer the same standard of journey to users. ’ 'Vital part of the long-term economic plan ' : Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin ( pictured ) said the Government is 'investing £15billion in the biggest upgrade to England ’ s strategic roads in a generation ' These will be ‘ largely or entirely dual carriageway roads ’ that are ‘ safe , well-built and resilient to delay . The first group of nine expressways is expected to include the A303 and A30 from the junction with the M3 in Hampshire to Exeter . The A1 north of Newcastle , which motorists have long campaigned to be made into a motorway , is another , as is the A14 from Huntingdon to Cambridgeshire . These will also link with up to 400 miles of ‘ smart motorways ’ where hard shoulders are used at peak times to reduce jams . A dual carriageway is planned for ‘ the entire A303 from the M3 to the M5 at Taunton ’ , as well as building a tunnel as the road passes Stonehenge . There will also be a new bypass on the A27 at Arundel together with improvements at Worthing and Lancing in West Sussex . Also featuring will be construction of the Mottram Moor link road together with overtaking and safety improvements and duelling the A61 to improve Trans-Pennine connectivity . A range of duelling and junction improvement schemes on the A47/A12 corridor supporting growth at Peterborough , Norwich , Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft is also planned . They will be built so that ‘ traffic on the main road can pass over or under roundabouts without stopping ’ . The strategy document seen by the Daily Mail says : ‘ An expressway will be able to provide a high-quality journey to its users . ‘ Most expressways should be able to offer mile a minute journeys throughout the day , particularly outside of urban areas. ’ The Highways Agency has presented the Road Investment Strategy to Parliament ahead of it being transformed on April 1 into the new private sector roads operator called Highways England . Ministers say the new government-owned company marks ‘ a step change ’ in how England ’ s roads are maintained and managed and will be responsible for delivering more than £15billion of investment by 2021 . It will have longer-term funding to be able to plan ahead and invest in skills and equipment to speed up essential work . A Department for Transport spokesman said : ‘ The move is part of a radical package of road reform that is expected to save the taxpayer at least £2.6billion over the next ten years. ’ Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin added : ‘ Infrastructure is a vital part of this government ’ s long term economic plan to secure a better future for this country , that is why we are investing £15billion in the biggest upgrade to England ’ s strategic roads in a generation. ’ ‘ The creation of Highways England will mean better value for money , improved customer satisfaction , more road capacity , improved safety and a better quality of service for millions of people who use the strategic road network every day . ’
Revamp of A-roads to transform them into 'mile-a-minute expressways ' Slip roads will make roads flow and slow moving vehicles will be banned . seven A-roads likely to be transformed in first tranche , with 18 more after . DfT says road reform will 'save the taxpayer £2.6bn over next ten years '