CLEAR the incident: Steve Bird, senior advisor for National Highways

James talks to Steve Bird about how National Highways and the Emergency Services CLEAR a major incident on the Strategic Road Network

England’s motorways and major A‑roads make up the Strategic Road Network – more than 4,300 miles of high‑speed routes managed and operated by National Highways. This network is among the most advanced anywhere in the world, supporting around 4 million journeys every day and moving over a billion tonnes of freight each year. It underpins the country’s social and economic wellbeing by linking communities, enabling access to employment, and keeping businesses connected.

When a serious incident occurs, a core priority is to resolve the situation quickly and efficiently so any casualties can be swiftly attended to and the road can reopen. The CLEAR approach highlights how teams work closely with emergency services and other partners to achieve these aims.

CLEAR is often described as a way of getting roads open more quickly after major incidents. Steve explains how this fits within the wider Safe System approach where safety, evidence and learning come first rather than simply ‘getting traffic moving’.