Decoded
The Road Investment Strategy 3 was published in March 2026. It covers the five-year period from April 2026 to March 2031 and sets out how over £27 billion of government funding will be spent on England's strategic road network.
That is a significant number. But for the professionals, contractors, councils and technology businesses who actually keep the roads working, the important question is not the headline figure. It is what the money is for, who will deliver it, and what that means for planning, procurement and operations in the years ahead.
This guide is written for people who need answers to those practical questions. It does not replicate the strategy document. Instead it extracts the commitments, targets and priorities that matter to different parts of the sector, and sets out the questions that every organisation should be asking right now.
The Road Investment Strategy is the government's multi-year investment plan for the strategic road network, which comprises England's 4,500 miles of motorways and major A-roads managed by National Highways. RIS3 is the third such strategy, following RIS1 (2015 to 2020) and RIS2 (2020 to 2025), with a one-year interim settlement covering 2025 to 2026.
The strategy has three parts. The Vision sets out six strategic objectives. The Performance Specification establishes the targets National Highways must meet. The Investment Plan details where the money goes.
The Six Strategic Objectives
Maintain and enhance the network to support productivity, housing growth and the supply chain.
Achieve a 7.5% reduction in people killed or seriously injured on the strategic road network by 2031.
Reduce delays, improve journey reliability, and maintain road surface quality to meet customers' needs.
Maintain and renew roadside technology, and prepare the network for emerging innovations including autonomous and electric vehicles.
Proactive, intelligence-led maintenance and renewals to protect ageing assets and build climate resilience.
Meet legislative commitments on biodiversity, air quality, noise and water quality, and support net zero goals.
The Headline Numbers
What Has Changed from RIS2?
The most significant shift in RIS3 is the deliberate move away from large-scale enhancement projects towards major renewals and maintenance. The strategy is explicit about this: the strategic road network is ageing, with approximately two thirds of structures now over 45 years old, and the focus must shift to keeping the existing network safe, reliable and open.
This does not mean enhancements have stopped. Twelve schemes will open to traffic during the period and five more will start construction. But the balance has shifted, and the unprecedented renewals funding reflects an honest reckoning with a network that has, in parts, been deferred for too long.
RIS3 also introduces four National Programmes for the first time, covering environment, safety, small schemes and housing growth. These represent a new delivery mechanism sitting alongside the traditional enhancement and renewals programmes.
RIS3 covers the strategic road network, not the local road network. But local authorities appear throughout the document as essential partners in delivery, and the strategy creates both obligations and opportunities for councils that manage their own road assets.
The Partnership Agenda
RIS3 makes clear that the strategic road network cannot be planned or operated in isolation. Specific areas where National Highways is expected to work with local authorities include:
- Reviewing diversion routes for unplanned events on the strategic road network, measured as a performance indicator.
- Supporting housing growth through the new Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund, designed to unlock development near the strategic network where viability is a challenge.
- Active travel, with National Highways required to continue collaboration with Active Travel England and local transport authorities to ensure joined-up cycling, walking and wheeling routes.
- Flood risk management, with National Highways expected to work with local authorities and the Environment Agency on drainage and natural flood management.
- Air quality, with the Environment Designated Fund continuing to support measures in partnership with local stakeholders.
- Litter removal, with National Highways working with local authorities and Keep Britain Tidy to address litter hotspots near the strategic network.
This new National Programme is specifically designed for locations where development is hindered by viability challenges and where alternative funding is not available. It can fund new junctions, bypasses, active travel links and other transport infrastructure near the strategic road network. Local authorities with housing allocations near the strategic road network should be aware of this fund as an option.
The Integrated Transport Agenda
RIS3 explicitly states that the strategic road network needs to be planned and operated as part of an integrated transport system. It references coordination with Network Rail, Active Travel England and local transport authorities to ensure that junctions, corridors and growth locations complement rail, mass transit, active travel and bus networks.
For transport directors and policy leads in local authorities, this is a signal that the boundaries between strategic and local network management are becoming less rigid. National Highways has a remit to engage with local partners in a way that was not as explicitly stated in previous strategies.
The Local Road Reality
The strategy does not extend funding commitments to the local road network. However, the decisions made in RIS3 have direct consequences for local highway authorities:
- Diversion and connectivity: When incidents or planned works close sections of the strategic network, local roads absorb the overflow. The requirement for National Highways to engage on diversion routes recognises this shared burden.
- Development pressure: The Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund means more housing development near strategic junctions. Local highway authorities will need to manage the local access implications.
- Supply chain competition: The RIS3 renewals programme may create competition for contractors, materials and specialist resource that local authorities also rely on. Early procurement planning is worth considering.
- Do you have housing allocations or employment sites near the strategic road network where the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund could be relevant?
- Are your diversion routes for strategic network incidents current, tested and agreed with National Highways?
- How is your authority planning to coordinate active travel improvements near strategic junctions?
- Is your procurement pipeline robust enough to compete for contractor resource alongside the RIS3 renewals programme?
For contractors, specialists and equipment suppliers, RIS3 represents the largest sustained pipeline of work on the strategic road network since the RIS programme began. The shift towards renewals creates a different kind of opportunity from the enhancement-heavy RIS2, and organisations that understand the distinction will be better placed to position themselves.
The Renewals Pipeline in Detail
The £8.4 billion renewals budget is described in RIS3 as unprecedented. It covers work across all asset classes, with the following specific capital commitments confirmed:
| Asset Class | RIS3 Commitment |
|---|---|
| Flexible pavement (asphalt) | Replace 9,024 lane-kilometres (±5%) |
| Rigid pavement (concrete) | Reconstruct 152 lane-kilometres (±20 lane-km) |
| Structures | Progress 111 significant structure schemes, with 76 constructed during the period |
| Drainage | Deliver 190 flooding sub-catchment mitigations (±30) |
| Roadside technology | Renew 12,650 roadside technology assets (±5%) |
| Road restraints | Deliver 1,191 km of assets renewed (±5%) |
| Large renewals | 15 schemes overall, with 5 to 9 reaching end of construction by March 2031 |
The 15 Large Renewal Schemes
Fifteen individual schemes have been defined as large renewals, each valued at over £50 million. These span significant structures and concrete road surface reconstruction across England.
- M6 Lune Gorge
- M55 Broughton Circle
- M62/M1 Lofthouse Interchange
- M62 Goole and Airmyn refurbishment
- A47 Great Ouse
- M42 Eastway Bridge
- M32 Eastville Viaduct
- M5 Junctions 19–20 Wynhol Viaduct
- A27 Arundel Railway Bridge Replacement
- A180 Brocklesby Interchange
- M180 Junctions 2 to 3
- A46 Concrete Reconstruction Scheme
- M271/M27 works
- A120 Wix Bypass
- M27 Junctions 5 to 7 Concrete Overlay
The Enhancement Pipeline
The enhancement programme is smaller than in RIS2, but not insignificant. Twelve schemes will open to traffic during the period, five will start construction, and a further nine are being developed for consideration in RIS4. Schemes starting construction in RIS3 include A66 Northern Trans-Pennine, M54 to M6 Link Road, M60/M62/M66 Simister Island, A38 Derby Junctions, and A46 Newark Bypass.
RIS3 introduces four National Programmes sitting alongside the traditional renewals and enhancements. The Safety National Programme will improve 18 high-risk A-road corridors. The Small Schemes National Programme will reduce localised congestion across the country. The Environment National Programme addresses water quality, biodiversity, noise and heritage. The Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund unlocks development near the network.
Procurement and British Supply Chains
RIS3 includes a specific commitment from National Highways to use procurement strategies that prioritise British supply chains and support UK-based businesses. The strategy references working through frameworks devised with social value in mind, and maximising opportunities to work with SMEs.
This is not just aspirational language. The Office of Rail and Road monitors delivery against RIS commitments, and the efficiency target of £1.4 billion over the road period creates real commercial pressure. Organisations that can demonstrate social value, regional economic impact and supply chain innovation will be well placed in tendering processes.
- Are your capability areas aligned with the asset classes where RIS3 renewals funding is heaviest?
- Do you have framework agreements in place, or are you working towards the relevant ones for the RIS3 period?
- How are you positioning for the large renewals schemes that require specialist structures or concrete pavement capability?
- Are you engaging early enough in scheme development phases to influence specifications?
- How does your social value offer compare with what commissioners are being asked to prioritise?
Technology runs through RIS3 in a way that it did not in previous strategies. The strategy identifies technology as an enabler for safety, reliability, efficiency and environmental performance, and acknowledges that advances in technology will open new frontiers in how roads are managed.
Roadside Technology: The Renewal Imperative
The single most direct opportunity for technology suppliers is the renewal of 12,650 roadside technology assets. The strategy notes that technology assets have a relatively short lifespan of around 12 years on average, and even shorter for assets like CCTV. Delaying upgrades leads to poor reliability, loss of service and cyber security issues. The renewal of roadside technology is a capital commitment — it will happen, and organisations with relevant products and solutions should be positioning now.
Safety Technology
The KSI reduction target of 7.5% creates sustained demand for safety technology. Specific technology references in RIS3 include:
- Upgrading CCTV cameras to detect incidents that could affect safety or journey times on smart motorways.
- Traffic monitoring and variable speed signs providing real-time information to road users.
- Stopped vehicle detection systems identifying hazards on the network.
- Emergency telephones and communications systems as part of the core technology estate.
- The iRAP star rating system guiding investment in the Safety National Programme.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
RIS3 contains a clear expectation that National Highways will support the roll-out of electric vehicle charging across the network, including for HGVs, referenced both as a customer need and as part of the environmental agenda. The strategy also references zero-carbon HGV trials as part of National Highways' own fleet decarbonisation, creating opportunities for EV infrastructure suppliers, charge point operators and energy management technology providers.
Data, Connectivity and Emerging Technology
RIS3 sets out an expectation that National Highways will continue to harness data, AI and connectivity to improve the way the network is designed, built, operated and used. Specific applications referenced include traffic pattern analysis, digital asset management and building platforms that can adapt to emergent technologies including autonomous vehicles.
The signal for technology suppliers is that RIS3 is not just about maintaining legacy systems. Suppliers who can bridge steady-state operations with longer-term technological capability are well positioned.
- How does your product or service connect to the roadside technology renewal programme, and are you visible to the right procurement teams?
- Can you demonstrate how your solutions contribute to the KSI reduction target?
- Do you have relevant capability in EV charging infrastructure, including for HGV applications?
- How does your technology support National Highways' Asset Delivery model and digital asset management ambitions?
- Are you engaging with National Highways' Innovation and Research Designated Fund as a route to testing new solutions?
Consultancies serve every part of the RIS3 landscape: advising National Highways, supporting local authorities navigating the integrated transport agenda, and helping contractors manage complex delivery programmes. The scale and complexity of RIS3 creates sustained demand across a wide range of professional disciplines.
Asset Management and Engineering
RIS3 places significant emphasis on intelligence-led asset management. National Highways is being asked to improve cost estimation, develop Asset Health Indicators, publish an Asset Data Improvement Plan, and produce robust asset-level renewals reporting — all of which requires technical expertise often sourced externally. Enhanced quarterly reporting to the Department for Transport and the Office of Rail and Road creates further consistent demand.
Planning, Environment and Housing
RIS3's engagement with housing growth, planning policy and environmental commitments creates opportunities for consultancies working at the intersection of transport and land use planning. The Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund requires scheme development and business case work. The Environment National Programme creates demand for ecology, heritage, water quality and noise expertise.
The strategy references the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor and Northern growth corridors as nationally significant locations where the strategic road network plays a critical enabling role. Consultancies already embedded in these geographies or with multi-modal corridor planning expertise are well placed.
Safety and Performance
The Safety National Programme, covering 24 high-risk A-road corridors with improvements planned on 18 of them, requires route safety assessment, design and scheme development work. The iRAP rating system is the guiding tool, and familiarity with that methodology matters.
The performance framework in RIS3 is more detailed than in previous strategies. Action Plans are required for safety and customer delay, with SMART objectives and annual updates. Consultancies that help organisations develop and report against performance frameworks will find consistent demand throughout the road period.
Technology and Digital
The emphasis on data, digital asset management and open technological platforms creates demand for technology consultancy and systems integration expertise. National Highways is required to publish a Performance Framework Improvement Plan ahead of RIS4. Consultancies with expertise in transport data, intelligent transport systems and digital infrastructure are in a strong position, particularly as the autonomous vehicle agenda begins to influence infrastructure planning in the latter years of the road period.
- Which of the six RIS3 strategic objectives best align with your core competencies, and are you positioned clearly against those in your business development activity?
- Are you visible in the National Programmes, where scheme development work will be needed before construction begins?
- Do you have the data and reporting expertise to support National Highways' enhanced monitoring obligations under RIS3?
- Are you working with local authority clients on the planning and housing implications of RIS3?
- How are you building expertise in emerging areas such as EV infrastructure, autonomous vehicles and climate resilience?
Some aspects of RIS3 are relevant regardless of which part of the sector you work in. Three themes in particular deserve attention from every organisation.
The 7.5% KSI reduction target is the most quantified commitment in RIS3. It applies to National Highways, but its achievement depends on the whole supply chain. RIS3 introduces Lost Time Incident Frequency Rate as a new performance indicator for both National Highways staff and supply chain staff — signalling that workforce safety will be monitored and reported publicly alongside road user safety outcomes. The Home Safe and Well approach and Be the Change behavioural safety programme continue as frameworks for the third road period.
The Environment National Programme has its own budget and capital commitments. Biodiversity, air quality and noise are Key Performance Indicators with specific targets: at least 2,000 biodiversity units, 10% biodiversity net gain on all major enhancements starting construction in the period, at least 5,000 households benefiting from noise exposure reduction, and compliance with legal nitrogen dioxide limits on agreed links. For organisations with expertise in ecological enhancement, water quality, noise mitigation or carbon reduction, RIS3 creates real commercial opportunity.
National Highways must demonstrate efficiency of £1.4 billion against capital and operational expenditure by the end of the road period. This is assessed by the Office of Rail and Road and reported publicly — not an aspiration, a performance commitment with accountability behind it. RIS3 also references the development of productivity and unit cost measures as part of enhanced efficiency reporting. Organisations that can demonstrate innovation, smarter working and better value will be preferred partners.
RIS3 is 84 pages of government commitment. It sets targets, confirms budgets, names schemes and defines performance expectations. But a strategy document is not the same as delivery. The translation from ambition to outcome happens in thousands of conversations, procurement decisions, design sessions, site meetings and operational choices made by the people and organisations who work in roads every day.
Those conversations need a place to happen. They need to happen between the organisations that hold the budgets and the organisations that have the solutions. Between the policy teams who have read RIS3 and the engineers who will implement it. Between the technology developers who see what is possible and the asset managers who know what the network actually needs.
Traffex 2026
20–21 May 2026 | CBS Arena, Coventry
Traffex is where the roads sector comes together. Local authority professionals, National Highways teams, contractors, consultancies, technology suppliers and equipment manufacturers. Two days of practical sessions, working groups, live demonstrations and the kind of conversations that move things forward.
The programme has been built around the real delivery challenges facing the sector. Not policy presentations. Not strategy documents. Roads. Reality. Results.
Register at traffex.comThis guide was produced by Traffex to help roads professionals understand the practical implications of Road Investment Strategy 3, published by the Department for Transport in March 2026. All figures and commitments are drawn directly from the published RIS3 document. For the full strategy, visit gov.uk. For information about Traffex 2026, visit traffex.com.
