Gifford advises on mitigating road runoff pollution in line with WFD

Environmental consultants at Gifford have been appointed by the Highways Agency (HA) to revise guidance for mitigating the effects of rainwater runoff from the UK’s road network. The incentive for the work is the EU’s water framework Directive (WFD), which aims to achieve ‘good’ ecological quality throughout the water environment and seeks tighter control of diffuse pollution such as highway runoff.

Gifford has been tasked with bringing to conclusion three large research projects examining the effects of road runoff on aquatic ecology, validate the research results and use the findings to revise the HA’s guidelines. Revised guidance is due to be published in November. To alert the industry of the forthcoming changes and unveil the new assessment tool a conference is being held by the HA and the Environment Agency on 12 May 2009.

• Gifford news release
• Conference details