UK roads being built without ministerial oversight, say environment campaigners

The National Highways agency has come under fire for a lack of transparency about its operations. Photograph: Tim Graham/Getty Images

Government-funded road schemes worth up to £500m are being built without ministerial oversight and most likely based on outdated emissions targets, according to freedom of information requests obtained by environmental campaigners.

National Highways is the body that oversees road building in England, and it is being allowed “to mark its own homework” by ministers who have opted out of reviewing the economic case for new projects, say campaigners.