Roads & Highways
Specialist legal support for roads and highways projects. We help public and private sector clients navigate complex legal, regulatory and infrastructure challenges with confidence.
Roads and highways legal expertise
Specialist legal support for developers, landowners, infrastructure providers, investors and public authorities. We advise the private and public sector on a wide range of legal services relating to roads and highways, covering everything from advising on new road and highway schemes, associated agreements, land acquisition and stopping up orders to vehicle procurement, low-emission vehicles and EV charging infrastructure.
Our team of lawyers understands the complexity of delivering road and highways projects and associated infrastructure. We bring deep experience in a wide range of legal services to knit together advice from specialists to deliver solutions for our clients in the sector.
Legal support for roads and highways
Our dedicated team advises on matters including:
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Road and highway schemes
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Highway agreements
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Highway and traffic orders
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Planning and consenting, including DCO projects
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Logistics
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Fleet and vehicle procurement
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Powers to levy highway tolls
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Low-emission vehicles, hydrogen and EV charging infrastructure
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Compulsory acquisition
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Habitats/ecology
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Environmental regulation and permitting
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Regulatory and legislative issues, including criminal defence work
Trusted by leading private and public sector clients
We have long‑standing relationships with major UK businesses and public authorities. Our clients trust us to advise on:
- Consenting and delivering road and highway schemes
- Major transport interchanges, including multi‑modal and regeneration schemes
- Drafting and negotiating s38/s278 agreements
- DCO applications, document review and representation at Examinations
- Objecting to new public rights of way and representing landowners at inquiries
- Drafting stopping‑up orders for public authorities
- Preparing and advising on compulsory purchase orders and compensation, or objecting for landowners
- Habitats and ecology advice, including BNG, protected sites, nutrient neutrality and species issues
- Commercial and highway contracts for EV charging schemes
- Fleet and vehicle procurement, including commercial contracts, procurement, competition and regulatory issues
- Statutory powers and requirements for highway tolls and related contracts
- Criminal and regulatory matters involving road traffic, operator licensing, and HSE investigations
- Court challenges to public authority decisions
Notable work
Drafting and negotiating all S38/278 agreements for major UK retailers and housebuilders
Outcomes:
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Delivered compliant and commercially balanced agreements
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Enabled timely construction starts and adoption of highway works
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Reduced legal risk through clear drafting and aligned stakeholder obligations
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Advising a leading logistics provider on merger control and competition law for a major retail joint venture
Outcomes:
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Ensured JV structure complied with UK competition rules
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Mitigated antitrust risks early in the transaction
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Enabled smooth progression of the JV with regulator‑ready documentation
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Supporting a council with Department for Transport funding to enhance local bus services and multi‑operator ticketing
Outcomes:
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Designed a compliant structure for subsidised multi‑operator day tickets
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Achieved competition‑law‑safe collaboration between operators
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Ensured subsidy control compliance and unlocked funding deployment
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Advising a highway authority on overcoming air quality legal barriers to secure planning permission for a major relief road
Outcomes:
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Resolved key environmental law constraints
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Enabled the relief road application to progress
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Supported delivery of improved traffic flow and reduced congestion
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Representing a local highway authority through the A428 development consent order application and examination in public
Outcomes:
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Secured the authority’s interests throughout the DCO process
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Provided expert representation at hearings
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Ensured statutory duties, land interests and mitigation requirements were fully protected
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Advising a major UK business on maintaining fleet operations without an operator’s licence following corporate restructuring
Outcomes:
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Identified a compliant operational structure allowing continued vehicle use
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Prevented disruption to essential fleet activities
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Vehicle Fleet Licensing Strategy Post‑Restructure
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Minimised regulatory exposure and ensured business continuity
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Partnering with in‑house teams for smarter legal delivery
We understand the commercial and legal challenges facing roads and highways projects. Our team can help you:
- Accelerate deal timelines with template tender documents and sector‑informed agreements
- Reduce negotiation friction by addressing stakeholder concerns early and clearly
- Navigate complex compliance across commercial, planning/highways, regulatory, procurement, data privacy and competition law
- Ensure smooth integration across related areas, including property, commercial, planning/highways, regulatory and disputes
Testimonials
“Freeths can analyse difficult cases and cut down to the main issues very quickly.”
Chambers & Partners
“A close-knit team that works well over differing geographical locations. A wide range of services are on offer and they complement their other tea...
Legal 500
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Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let’s start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
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