National Highways has obligations to road users and funders to operate, maintain and enhance an efficient, safe and reliable strategic road network (SRN), which comprises the motorways and major A roads in England.
As the independent highways regulator, ORR uses its regulatory powers to hold the company to account for delivery of this.
The focus of our work across the coming year will be a mix of closing out the current, second road period (RP2) as it comes to an end in March 2025 and preparing for the next five-year period, the third road period (RP3), due to start in April 2025.
We will continue to monitor and report on National Highways’ performance and its delivery of the second road investment strategy (RIS2) in our annual assessment (to be laid in Parliament) and regional benchmarking work.
In the first quarter of the year, we will publish the outcome of our investigation into National Highways’ performance, delivery and capability launched in February 2024. On the recommendation of the Transport Select Committee, with the fixed-term funding for additional resource available to us until the end of this financial year, we will again publish our annual assessment of safety performance on the strategic road network.
Its ongoing value has been recognised by a number of industry and parliamentary stakeholders. Separately, we will publish our quality assurance of National Highways’ smart motorways annual safety update report.
Looking towards the third road investment strategy (RIS3), we will carry out our Efficiency Review of National Highways’ draft Strategic Business Plan early in the year and deliver our independent expert advice to the Secretary of State for Transport.
Ultimately, our recommendations will help the government maximise the long-term benefits of its investment in the SRN, leading to better outcomes for road users, improved environmental impacts, and better value for money for taxpayers.
We will work with the Department for Transport to ensure that National Highways has a refreshed and clear performance framework for RP3 with challenging but deliverable commitments for which we can hold the company effectively to account.
Alongside this we will review and consult publicly on our holding National Highways to account policy for RP3. The revised policy will reflect our maturing approach and expectations.