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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
10 Recommendation Sixth Report - Strategic road investment Rejected

Reconsider expensive, complex Strategic Road Network enhancement projects to ensure deliverable future portfolios

Given the history of consistent delays to complex projects, it seems that portfolios to date have been too ambitious and have suffered from ‘optimism bias’. The Department needs to ensure that future RIS portfolios which include such projects are deliverable; it is time for the Government to reconsider its portfolio …

Government response. The government notes the recommendation, stating it already assesses deliverability with independent scrutiny and has increased resources. It rejects the idea of making portfolios smaller due to inefficiency and long delivery periods for complex projects, but confirms investment priorities for …
Department for Transport
12 Recommendation Sixth Report - Strategic road investment Rejected

Update National Highways' licence to formalise engagement processes with Sub-national Transport Bodies

Sub-national transport bodies were established following the publication of National Highways’ licence, and therefore have no codified role in the RIS setting process. There are good examples of collaborative planning and working between STBs and National Highways, but this is inconsistent. An acknowledgement of STBs in National Strategic road investment …

Government response. The government notes the recommendation but is not currently planning to review or re-issue National Highways' licence to include a formalised engagement process with STBs. It states that STBs are already engaged through existing licence requirements and joint action plans.
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…