Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Deferred
Ensure sufficient revenue and capital funding is allocated for Strategic Road Network maintenance
Recommendation
Providing the level of day-to-day running and upkeep that meets the needs of SRN users will require revenue funding alongside capital investment in more costly renewal and repair projects. The Government must, therefore, make sufficient provision for both revenue and capital maintenance funds. This funding could be gained by cancelling complex, costly enhancement projects. Increased user satisfaction should be reflected through Transport Focus’ annual SRN user reports. (Paragraph 36) Portfolio planning and delivery
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation but addresses the aspect of project reporting rather than funding levels for maintenance. It committed to exploring the opportunity for more frequent public project reporting in a single dashboard format with National Highways and the ORR.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government agrees with this recommendation. National Highways already maintains up to date project reporting through the National Highways ‘Our Roads’ web portal6. Project progress is regularly updated for each scheme including changes to baseline Start of Works, Open for Traffic, costs and planning status where applicable. There will be times when information on costs is commercially sensitive and needs to be withheld until the period of sensitivity has ended. The delivery commitments (Start of Works, Open for Traffic) within the RIS portfolio at the end of the financial year are provided annually by the National Highways’ Delivery Plan Update, published in July each year. This includes any changes that have been agreed during the year and presents the delivery commitments for all the major enhancement schemes in one table for each region of the country, not unlike a dashboard. While a genuinely ‘live’ update system would not be practical, it is recognised that there is an appetite for more frequent updates for the enhancements portfolio in a single dashboard format. The Government therefore agrees with the recommendation and will work closely with National Highways and the ORR, to explore the opportunity for more frequent public project reporting in one place. 6 https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/