Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency is taking to investigate, regulate and monitor the potential impact of water pollution originating from highway runoff.

Highways outfalls discharge run-off from roads during rainfall and may collect and discharge contaminants to the environment. The Environment Agency (EA) will assess and take action on substantiated reports of pollution, and this includes from the highways sector. It is the responsibility of highways authorities to identify and take action where an outfall poses a risk to the environment, including during rainfall events. There is no requirement for highways authorities to hold an environmental permit to operate surface water outfalls. The EA is inputting to National Highways’ pilot monitoring project and supports their investment programme to mitigate high risk outfalls.