HE chief gives strategy update

The government-owned company is preparing the ground for its second Road Investment Strategy (RIS 2), covering its multi-billion five-year budget from 2020-2025.

The 18 route strategies – covering the entire network and divided into areas such as East of England and M25 to Solent – form the foundation of the RIS 2.

Speaking at a Westminster Forum conference in London this week, Mr O’Sullivan said: ‘Route strategies are due out in March. They are our best and most informed view of what our 18 routes on our network need. We are looking for comment on those routes over the summer and we will be producing a network report into the autumn.’

A strategic economic growth plan is also due to be published in March, Mr O’Sullivan said.

He also revealed he hopes to introduce a system he called ‘swim lanes’ for the future investment plans, which would provide individual five-year funding programmes for different disciplines to support contractors with more investment stability.

‘We are working in RIS 2 towards what I like to call swim lanes, so a five-year programme of maintenance, a five-year programme of capital renewals, of smart motorways, of new schemes and on top of that flagship schemes.’