Select Committee · Transport Committee

Strategic road investment

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Dec 2022 Closed: 29 Feb 2024 7 recommendations 7 conclusions 1 report

The strategic road network in England comprises more than 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads. The Department for Transport plans improvements to these roads through five-year road investment strategies, and sets priorities for the strategic road network. This inquiry will look into how well the current Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) is being managed, and …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Strategic road investment HC 904 27 Jul 2023 14 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
3 Conclusion Sixth Report - Strategic road investment Acknowledged

Debate needed on introducing car usage reduction targets for traffic management

In our recent report on Implementation of the National Bus Strategy we recommended that a debate needs to be had about whether the Department for Transport should introduce a target to reduce car usage in England by the end of the decade, such as those seen in Scotland and Wales. …

Government response. The government stated it agrees with the recommendation that a debate is needed on introducing a car usage reduction target for England. However, the response then outlined existing investment in strategic road network maintenance and upgrades, without specifying how the …
Department for Transport
9 Conclusion Sixth Report - Strategic road investment Acknowledged

Overly ambitious portfolio planning has caused consistent overspending and under-delivery by National Highways

Throughout RIS 1 and 2, there has been a consistent theme of overly ambitious portfolio planning, and National Highways has overspent and underdelivered. Despite delays in RIS 1, an even more ambitious portfolio was chosen for RIS 2. Schemes have been consistently pushed back into the following RIS portfolio, and …

Government response. The government acknowledges the recommendation, stating that deliverability is assessed when setting a RIS and that the ORR has an important role in the process. They highlight actions taken to manage RIS2, including increased staffing and lessons learned from RIS1, …
Department for Transport

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
29 Mar 2023 Darren Oldham · Transport for the North, Emma Ward CBE · Department for Transport, Kate Cohen · Department for Transport, Maria Machancoses · Midlands Connect, Mrs Naomi Green · England's Economic Heartland, Richard Holden MP · Department for Transport View ↗
1 Mar 2023 Edmund King · The AA, Guy Dangerfield · Transport Focus, Jonathan Walker · Logistics UK, Lisa Hopkinson · Transport for Quality of Life, Professor Glenn Lyons · University of the West of England, Ralph Smyth · Transport Action Network, Sharon Kindleysides · Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport View ↗
1 Feb 2023 Dame Bernadette Kelly DCB · Department for Transport, Emma Ward · Department for Transport, Nick Harris · National Highways View ↗

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
6 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, relating to pla…
19 Apr 2023 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Roads, Department for…
29 Mar 2023 Correspondence from the Chair of the Transport to the Chief Executive, National…
29 Mar 2023 Correspondence from the Chief Executive, National Highways, relating to strateg…
1 Mar 2023 Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport, relating…