Government sets out priorities in £27bn Road Investment Strategy 3
The Government has announced the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), outlining a £27bn programme for England’s motorways and major A-roads between 2026 and 2031, with a renewed emphasis on maintaining ageing infrastructure and improving network performance.
image: National Highways
The strategy, published by the Department for Transport, sets the direction for the Strategic Road Network (SRN) over the next five-year road period and defines the funding and performance expectations for National Highways, which is responsible for delivering it.
Shift toward maintenance and reliability
A central feature of RIS3 is a stronger focus on maintaining and renewing existing road assets, reflecting concerns about the condition of the network. Government statements describe the programme as aimed at “fixing the foundations,” with around £8.4 bn allocated to maintenance, including resurfacing significant sections of the SRN.
This marks a shift in emphasis compared with the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2), which ran from 2020 to 2025. Under RIS2, a substantial proportion of funding—over £14 bn—was directed toward enhancement schemes, including new road capacity and major upgrades.
In contrast, RIS3 places greater weight on asset renewal and operational performance, reflecting both the ageing profile of infrastructure and feedback from stakeholders that maintaining existing roads can deliver higher value for money.
Continued but more selective road building
The RIS framework is designed to enable long-term, coordinated investment, allowing projects to be planned in a way that complements other infrastructure and minimises disruption.
While maintenance is prioritised, RIS3 retains a pipeline of new schemes. Government announcements indicate that a limited number of projects will proceed, including large-scale developments such as the Lower Thames Crossing and upgrades to key regional routes.
However, the number of new schemes is more constrained than in RIS2, where dozens of major enhancement projects formed a core component of the programme.
Focus on safety and environmental outcomes
RIS3 also places increased emphasis on safety and environmental performance. Consultation feedback highlighted these as key priorities, and the strategy includes targets for improving road safety and reducing environmental impacts.
These priorities build on earlier strategies but are more explicitly framed as outcome-based measures, aligning with wider government commitments on decarbonisation and sustainability.
From expansion to optimisation
Taken together, the changes indicate a transition from the expansion-led model associated with earlier strategies toward a more “optimise and maintain” approach.
RIS2 was widely characterised as an ambitious investment programme aimed at boosting capacity and supporting economic growth, with a large portfolio of major projects.
RIS3, by comparison, reflects a more constrained fiscal and policy environment, with greater emphasis on:
maintaining existing assets
improving reliability and performance
delivering targeted, high-value enhancements
Role of National Highways and system integration
Under RIS3, National Highways remains responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the SRN, which carries a significant share of England’s traffic despite representing a small proportion of total road length. The strategy sets out performance expectations for the company, with oversight provided by the Office of Rail and Road.
A notable feature of RIS3 is the expectation that National Highways will play a broader role in supporting an integrated national transport system.
National Highways makes the point that the transport context has changed in recent years because of greater devolution to local government, meaning closer working with Local Authorities, Mayoral Strategic Authorities and other local partners is required to support delivery of the government’s aims for the network. National Highways believes it has a leadership role in bringing these partners together to achieve better outcomes for the travelling public and businesses.
The SRN, it says, needs to be planned and operated as part of an integrated transport system, supporting multi-modal integration, improving access to economic hubs and supporting the Government’s integrated transport strategy. For instance, coordination with Network Rail, Active Travel England and local transport authorities is required to ensure that SRN junctions, corridors and growth locations complement rail, mass transit, local active travel and bus networks, including good access to stations and strategic interchanges.
Specifically in support of network integration National Highways’ role includes:
coordinating road investment with other modes of transport
supporting freight and logistics connectivity
working with local authorities and regional bodies
contributing to wider economic and spatial planning objectives