ABSTRACT
Behind the building or improvement of a trunk road in Britain there lies a lengthy and procedurally complex process of decision-making. All the main decisions are made by politicians - government ministers - rather than administrators or transport specialists. At crucial stages in the process the issues which have to be decided are subjected to wide consultation and, in most cases, a formal Public Inquiry. At the end, the decision which is made is an act of political judgement; all relevant factors have to be weighed up and a balance struck between competing priorities.
