The Transport Committee today launches a new inquiry into the
Government’s current five-year plan for investing in major roads
and motorways.
The inquiry comes after a National Audit Office
report stated that the Department for Transport’s current
Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2), which runs from 2020-25, will
go billions over its original budget. The added costs are due to
delays in carrying out work on various projects combined with
inflationary pressures in the economy.
The report said the Department and National Highways could have
done more to manage potential risks to the portfolio of works in
RIS2, which has led to less work being completed. Eleven out of
69 road investment projects that were originally planned have
also been cut.
The strategic road network in England comprises more than 4,300
miles of motorways and major A-roads.
This inquiry will look into how well the current Road Investment
Strategy (RIS2) is being managed. It will also examine how
planning for Road Investment Strategy 3, from 2025-2030, is being
undertaken.
Chair's comment
Transport Committee Chair said:
“Careful scrutiny is needed over which projects can be delivered,
when by, and at what expense to the taxpayer.
“RIS2 was an ambitious strategy, with a budget nearly twice that
of RIS1, which spanned the five years to 2020. It still stands to
play an important role in improving the country’s infrastructure
and boosting local economies. However, we must make sure lessons
are learned so that time and money are not wasted in
future.
“We will also investigate how future investments in road
infrastructure will tie in with the Government’s overarching
policies of levelling up left behind areas, and dramatically
cutting carbon emissions.”
Call for evidence
The Transport Committee would like to receive written evidence
that addresses the following points. Submissions can be sent to the
Committee via our website until Monday, 6th February.
- How effectively the RIS2 enhancements portfolio has been
managed to date;
- Whether risks to the enhancements portfolio for the remainder
of the RIS2 period are being well managed;
- What the impacts of delays and cost overruns are on the
overall programme, and whether the revised programme can be
delivered to schedule and on budget;
- What progress is being made on planning for the next Road
Investment Strategy;
- What lessons from RIS2 need to be incorporated into RIS3 to
ensure it is achievable and delivers on policy objectives;
- Whether the Government’s current and forthcoming roads
investment programme is meeting the current and future needs of
consumers and business;
- Whether the Government’s roads investment programme aligns
with other policy priorities, such as decarbonisation, levelling
up, productivity and growth;
- How RIS3 should take account of technological developments,
and evidence on ways of increasing capacity on the Strategic Road
Network (such as smart motorways and potential alternatives to
them).
