Little scope for new schemes in RIS 3, DfT says

03/02/2023 | CHRIS AMES

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) permanent secretary has warned of ‘very limited’ headroom for new enhancement projects in the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS 3) due to the cost of projects carried forward from the current roads period.

It follows a call for a rethink of RIS 3 in November from the National Audit Office, which warned that current plans risk splurging taxpayers’ cash on low value, high-risk mega projects such as the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing and the £2.4bn A303 Stonehenge scheme.

The NAO said that in RIS 2 ‘less work has been delivered than planned and at a higher cost’.

At a hearing of the Transport Select Committee on Wednesday, Ben Bradshaw MP asked DfT permanent secretary Dame Bernadette Kelly (pictured), whether there was any point in starting to draw up a list of proposals for RIS 3, ‘if we’re so for behind on [RIS] 1 and 2’.

She replied: 'Obviously there are already a number of projects in what we call the RIS3 pipeline, these are very early development projects; it is true that the headroom for new projects in RIS3 will be very limited.’

Dame Bernadette was appearing with National Highways chief executive Nick Harris, and the DfT’s director general for roads, places and environment group, Emma Ward, as part of an inquiry into strategic roads investment in England.

Ms Ward added: ‘The makeup of RIS3 may well look a bit different. It is likely that the headroom for enhancements projects is likely to be less.

'We also have an ageing network, so the importance of renewals and maintenance actually increases over time. So I would expect the balance of RIS3 to look somewhat different to RIS2 and the [forthcoming] consultation will begin to set that out.’

Mr Harris said as early as 2021 that under RIS 3 maintenance and renewal would ‘feature very strongly’ and that ‘we only going to be able to build roads where they are absolutely essential’.

He told the committee: 'What is really, really important – certainly from my point of view – is we’re looking after an ageing set of infrastructure; more than 70% of our assets as we get to the beginning of RIS3 are going to be more than 45 years old.’

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Senior Civil Engineer - Major Projects x 4

£45,894.00 - £54,952.00
We are looking for experienced engineers to help us progress a number of key projects and programmes Glasgow, Glasgow City
Recruiter: Transport Scotland

Technician - Maintenance

£31001.0000 - £36471.0000 per annum
Essex Highways is responsible for managing and maintaining one of the largest highway networks in the country
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Highways Contract Engineer

£46,731 - £49,764
The team helps provide a safe road network that operates efficiently and effectively.  Northamptonshire
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Principal Transport Planner

£46,731 - £49,764 (pro-rata)
We are looking for an experienced professional to join us on a six-month temporary contact as a Principal Transport Planner. Kettering, Northamptonshire
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Maintenance Operative

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Highways Maintenance Operative Broughton, Brigg
Recruiter: Amey

Head of Highways Contracts & Network

£81,803 progressing to £90,664 per annum
The team includes approximately 60 directly employed HCC people Hertfordshire
Recruiter: Hertfordshire County Council

Principal Construction Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Principal Construction Manager Yorkshire and the Humber
Recruiter: Amey

Quality Technician

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Quality Technician Yorkshire and the Humber
Recruiter: Amey

Senior Highway Engineer (Development Management)

£42679.0000 - £50211.0000 per annum
Senior Highway Engineer (Development Management)Permanent, Full Time£43,960 to £51,718 per annum*Location
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Project Manager (Major Projects)

£44,711 - £47,754
Are you an experienced project professional or engineer with looking to take the next step in your career? Halifax, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Senior Civil Engineer - Roads

£45,894 - £54,952
Are you an experienced engineer looking to support the Scottish Government’s national objectives. Scotland
Recruiter: Transport Scotland

Senior Civil Engineering Technician

Grade 7 £29,093 to £32,654 per annum
We are looking for a flexible individual who has the ability to meet targets and analyse and resolve complex technical problems and formulate a design Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council

Project Team Manager

£55,147 to £60,676 per annum
We are pleased to be able to offer an opportunity for a role as Design Team Manager Norwich, Norfolk
Recruiter: Norfolk County Council

Clerk of Works

GRADE 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
Warrington is one of the most successful towns in the country Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Assistant Projects Engineer

GRADE 06 (£29,093 - £32,654),GRADE 07 (£33,366 - £37,035), GRADE 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
Warrington is one of the most successful towns in the country Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Engineer - Traffic Management

£45,718 - £48,710 per annum
At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose – to improve people’s lives. Bath, Somerset
Recruiter: Bath & North East Somerset Council

Vehicle Technician - Improver

£28,624 - £30,060
Transport Services is responsible for all aspects of transport and related services Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Kirklees Metropolitan Council

Programme Delivery Office Administrator

Grade 9 £31,344 - £33,253 per annum
At Derbyshire, we have been on a journey to transform the way we deliver highway services to make them fit for the future Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Support Officer - Highways Asset Management Systems

£31,586 - £34,314
We are a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to maintaining and improving our highway infrastructure. Lincolnshire
Recruiter: Lincolnshire County Council

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW