Highways Agency Information Line 0300 123 5000

A new phone number is making it easier and cheaper for the public to get in touch with the Highways Agency, which manages and operates England's motorways and major A-roads.

The new number 0300 123 5000 is included in all phone packages which means many people will be able to call the Highways Agency for free and everyone else will pay a standard rate.

The Highways Agency Information Line handles more than 150,000 calls a year on topics as varied as real time traffic information, the status of road works and reports of debris or spillages on the carriageway.

Although it has always been a local rate number from a standard BT line, some mobiles and other phone operators charged significantly more.

Not only will customers be able to make a saving from the number change, but the Agency itself will be more efficient because it will no longer be charged more than 5p per minute for receiving each call, as it was using the previous 0845 number.

Steve Crosthwaite, group manager for the Highways Agency contact centre, says:

“The number change is a win for the customer and a win for the Agency as we both save money.”

The new 0300 numbers are reserved for not-for-profit and public sector organisations and mean fairer and more transparent call charges for customers. Calling an 0300 number costs no more than calling a geographic (01 or 02) number and all phone companies are required to include them in inclusive minutes and discount schemes, even on mobiles.

The old Highways Agency 0845 number will be phased out over two years, meaning that there will be no costs for replacing existing publications and road signs. Callers using the old number are now automatically transferred to 0300 123 5000.

All aspects of the service provided by the Highways Agency Information Line, which is available 24 hours of every day, will remain the same.

It is part of a range of information services provided by the Highways Agency to help road users. Details of roadworks, major schemes and other helpful advice can be found on the website www.highways.gov.uk

Live traffic information, collected from cameras and vehicle sensors buried in the road, is provided round the clock to help people plan their journeys and avoid bottlenecks. Road users can get updates from the website, Traffic Radio, overhead message signs, display screens at motorway service areas, a mobile website and iPhone application.

The Highways Agency information covers England's 4300-mile network of motorways and major A-roads. Although this network is less than three percent of the country's roads, it handles around a third of all traffic and two-thirds of freight. There are separate authorities responsible for roads in London, Scotland and Wales, while local roads are maintained by local authorities.

Posted Thursday June 10^th 2010
By Highways Agency