TO BE PUBLISHED May 2026
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This conference will examine the strategic shift in road infrastructure policy in England, in the context of the forthcoming publication of the Road Investment Strategy 3, and measures announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget.
RIS3 implementation
Sessions will assess strategic and practical issues related to implementing the anticipated stronger emphasis on maintenance, renewal and resilience of the existing road network, alongside consideration of RIS3 alignment with broader objectives for growth, addressing regional disparities, net zero and fostering technological innovation. Attendees will consider what this could mean in practice for National Highways’ priorities for the next road period, and for the assurance and oversight arrangements related to delivery.
Further discussion is expected on risk-based approaches to renewals planning, priorities for tackling disruption and unplanned closures, and how asset performance is monitored and reported across different parts of the network. Delegates will also consider implications for delivery capacity, including workforce skills, supply chain resilience, and assessing implications of longer-term funding certainty - including clearer multi-year settlements and a predictable pipeline - in enabling delivery bodies and suppliers to invest with confidence in plant, materials capability, skills, and newer maintenance techniques.
Investment & environmental aims
Further discussion will look at practicalities of aligning investment in the strategic and local road networks with wider policy aims, including expectations for climate risk management and disruption planning set out in the Department for Transport’s recently published Climate adaptation strategy for transport, taking account of differences in governance and delivery between England and the devolved administrations. Attendees will consider what effective climate adaptation looks like on the ground, including priorities for drainage, structures and surface treatments, operational readiness, and how responsibilities sit between national and local delivery bodies.
Attendees will also consider options for taking forward digital road networks and predictive maintenance, including the data and systems needed to support joined-up asset management and more consistent decision-making. Discussion will also examine implications of electric vehicle uptake for charging infrastructure on the strategic road network and local roads - alongside questions of accessibility, equity between places and road user needs, and how environmental objectives can be met while maintaining journey reliability for passengers and freight.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy: assessment of draft RIS3 direction and priorities alongside 2025 Autumn Budget measures - implications for stakeholders - expectations for implementation and oversight
- funding and accountability: allocation between strategic and local road networks - delivery transparency and assurance - roles of National Highways, local authorities and regulators
- maintenance and renewal: practicalities in prioritising asset condition, resilience and performance - transition from reactive to planned maintenance - priorities for long-term network reliability
- capacity: expansion choices - role of targeted new development alongside asset stewardship - cost differentials and value considerations - congestion, productivity and resilience factors
- electric vehicles: readiness of strategic and local networks for EV uptake - charging provision and grid interfaces - factoring in affordability, usage patterns and future revenue considerations
- freight and logistics priorities: reliability of the strategic road network - links to ports, logistics hubs and industrial areas - implications for supply chains and growth
- equity and accessibility: achieving fairness across places and road users - impacts on communities and regions - addressing community severance - multimodal integration
- delivery: efficiency and performance - approaches to procurement and commercial incentives - cost pressures, productivity and supply chain constraints - best practice for optimising outcomes
- adaptation: preparing assets for extreme weather and climate risk - integrating resilience into design, maintenance and operations - drainage, surfaces and operational readiness
- decarbonisation: assessing emissions implications of road investment decisions - alignment with net zero and wider transport policy - supporting both environmental and economic objectives
- innovation: digital and data maturity - consistent condition information and predictive maintenance - AI, connected infrastructure and cybersecurity - addressing capability gaps across regions
- workforce and capability: priorities for developing skills and capacity within delivery bodies and supply chains - data, commercial and technical expertise - sustaining capability over the RIS3 period
