Government’s first priority for roads should be to maintain the existing network by investing adequately in maintenance and renewal, including to ensure proportionate resilience to climate change impacts. Government should enhance the road network on a strategic basis, with improvements targeted at underperforming sections of the network, aligning schemes with complementary policies for economic growth and giving initial priority to interventions in regions with underperforming productivity.
By the end of 2026 and ahead of commencing work on Road Investment Strategy 4 (2030 to 2035), government should use the improvement options outlined in the Commission’s analysis, alongside projects identified in partnership with sub national transport bodies, mayoral combined authorities and pan regional partnerships that unlock regional economic opportunities, to develop a pipeline of future interurban road projects over a thirty year horizon.