The UK Government has released its draft Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), setting out a £24.98 billion funding commitment for the Strategic Road Network (SRN) between April 2026 and March 2031.
The strategy prioritises maintenance, renewal, environmental performance, and safety, marking a shift away from large-scale new construction.
Published as part of the Government’s long-term infrastructure vision, the RIS3 draft highlights how the strategic roads programme will form a “core component” of the forthcoming 10-year national infrastructure strategy, with a renewed emphasis on sustainability, connectivity, and user experience.
Renewed Priorities: Maintenance Over Expansion
In contrast to previous strategies, RIS3 moves away from major new build projects. The Government has confirmed it will maintain the course set by its predecessor, which shelved plans for large-scale construction under RIS3. Instead, it proposes that new schemes will only be considered for delivery in Road Investment Strategy 4 (RIS4) or the later stages of RIS3 if additional funding arises.
The draft makes clear:
“RIS3 will have a far greater focus than earlier RISs on the maintenance and renewal of the existing network. Investment should also support integration with local roads, promote modal choice for longer journeys, and enhance active travel and public transport options for shorter trips.”
Environmental and Technological Vision
A strong environmental thread runs throughout the document. The strategy calls on National Highways to invest in low-carbon construction materials and embrace circular economy principles by designing for material reuse and recyclability.
Further ambitions include reducing road-related noise, air, and water pollution, and taking a landscape-scale approachto nature restoration, biodiversity gains, and habitat connectivity.
In addition, the Government urges National Highways to “be ready to harness the rapidly developing possibilities of new technology”, which includes vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, data-driven traffic management, and innovations in transport behaviour.
Funding and Delivery Timelines
The total RIS3 budget of £24.98bn represents a modest uplift from the revised £24bn allocated during RIS2, which originally had a headline budget of £27bn before cuts.
RIS3 was delayed by one year following the July 2024 general election. To bridge the gap, National Highways received £4.8bn to support an interim year from April 2025 to March 2026.
National Highways is now developing a strategic business plan to determine how the RIS3 objectives can be met within the financial envelope. This plan is due to be submitted to the Department for Transport by 1 September 2025, with the Office for Road and Rail (ORR) set to conduct an efficiency review by 30 November.
Continuity and Long-Term Vision
In her foreword, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to long-term transport improvements, stating:
“Our objectives for RIS3 will be a continuation of the work begun in the first two road periods. Safety, customer service, and delivery will remain the cornerstones of the way the Strategic Road Network is managed.”
She also emphasised that RIS3 will play a crucial role in reducing regional inequalities and delivering faster, safer, and more reliable road travel across the country.
As RIS3 progresses towards finalisation, attention now turns to whether National Highways can deliver on its ambitions within current fiscal constraints — while rising to the challenge of building a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient road network.
