Understanding the Different Roads of the UK

When it comes to booking haulage for goods up and down the roads of the United Kingdom, you may think that once you have organised the load itself it would be plain sailing. However, one of the things you need to be aware of is the difference in the classification of roads here in the UK.

Drivers who have spent some time in the United States may have noticed the sheer magnitude of some of the interstate roads that criss-cross the nation (like the 16 to 18 lanes that cut through the heart of the southern city of Atlanta), so will know that haulage jobs may be much easier to handle on a road of that size. But the UK also has a hierarchy of roads - similar to those found in the States, albeit on a smaller scale. When transporting a load, it is helpful to appraise yourself of the size of the roads on your route in relation to the size of your vehicle. In the UK we have the motorways, the A roads, B roads, and even the C roads to contend with.

Motorways

Known colloquially as the "M Roads", and by the prefix M to indicate which road it is (M1, M3), the motorways are the best options for haulage jobs. These roads are usually wide and well organised as they cut a well-worn path across the UK. The general speed limit of 70 miles per hour is higher than those on the A, B, and C roads. There is usually a hard shoulder to pull off on should you need to, and every mile or so there is an emergency telephone should you find that you are without a working cellular phone. The large blue signs with white writing are the standard for the M Roads, and the junctions are clearly marked at least a mile prior to each exit. On these roads, you, as a lorry driver, will not have to worry about bicycle or pedestrian traffic, as they are banned from using the M Roads.

A Roads

However, haulage in the UK isn't always as straight forward as taking the M Roads from door to door, and in almost all cases, at least some travel on A Roads is a necessity. A Roads can be single or dual carriageways and are part of a fully connected network. The main roads that extend from London have single digit numbers with the letter A (A1, A4), and are numbered clockwise as they go around. Some of the A Roads are well developed to the point of looking like an M Road, but they do not fully replace the M Roads. If you need an emergency telephone, as a rule, the A Roads unfortunately don't have them placed every mile, however.

B and C Roads

The B and C Roads are the smaller, local roads that have a lower traffic density than the others. Contrary to popular misinformation, the classification as a B or C Road has nothing to do with the state of the road, and haulage jobs on the B Roads can take you down well maintained and even dual carriageway roads. The B Roads have the same form of organisation as the A Roads, except they have three to four digit identifiers (B142, B135). The C Roads, however, are roads or lanes with even less traffic density; they have a numerical system that is for the benefit of the local council and will not appear on any public signage nor on maps.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for haulage work in the express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.