Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Sixth Report - Strategic road investment
Transport Committee
HC 904
Published 27 July 2023
Recommendations
4
Deferred
Para 21
Model and report SRN traffic scenarios to assess demand management contribution to net zero
Recommendation
The Government should model and report on scenarios where traffic levels on the SRN are a) reduced and b) maintained at current levels, alongside the transition to a cleaner vehicle fleet, in order to assess the potential contribution of demand …
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Government Response Summary
The government noted the recommendation but did not commit to modelling and reporting on scenarios where traffic levels on the Strategic Road Network are reduced or maintained at current levels. Instead, it discussed past consultation processes, current maintenance spending, and user satisfaction metrics.
Department for Transport
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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 …
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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.
Department for Transport
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Conclusions (2)
1
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 11
The Strategic Road Network plays an important role in economic growth and productivity. However, the extent to which further investment in the Network would help to boost growth, in comparison to investment in other modes of transport and connectivity, is contested. We intend to look in more detail at how …
Government Response Summary
The government noted the committee's recommendation and its intention to conduct a future inquiry, then proceeded to outline its existing decarbonisation strategy for transport and plans for reviewing progress.
5
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 25
We welcome Project Rapid’s dedicated fund for enhancing electric vehicle charging provision on the Strategic Road Network, but a quicker and greater rollout of rapid charging points and supporting infrastructure will be required to support a future electric vehicle fleet, especially considering the target for all new freight vehicles to …
Government Response Summary
The government notes the recommendation and explains its existing processes for assessing deliverability in Road Investment Strategies (RIS). It states that specific details on future investment priorities for rapid charging infrastructure will be set out in the draft RIS3 later in 2023, deferring a concrete commitment.