Strategic business plan 2020-2025 We are ighways ngland

People rely on our roads to connect people and drive the economy Since 2015 Since 2015, we have helped customers make safer and more reliable journeys on Carrying 3x more We have reduced the number our roads. Our 4,300 miles of motorways people than the UK rail network of casualties on our roads by and major A-roads help people travel from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Penzance, and from Carlisle to Dover. Everything we do, from designing our roads to clearing incidents, 18% helps keep traffic moving 24 hours a day, billion and miles 34 365 days a year. are travelled on of all traffic of all freight As one of England’s largest landowners, the SRN every year we have a strong focus on sustainability. We are proud of the work we do to look after the wildlife that lives alongside our network, Our work helps unlock housing and employment sites and to protect and improve the environment for future generations. We work closely with Since 2015 our investment into our Growth and housing fund will have helped create: local communities, making sure our roads benefit them.

We have opened 36 enhancement schemes 44,000 45,000 jobs for traffic since 2015. Some have helped connect communities to work. Others have houses stimulated economic growth and housing. Many have provided alternative routes for walkers and cyclists. All have helped to connect the country.

We care about the communities that live near our roads We are always innovating and looking Since 2015 we have committed over £528 million to projects which have: at more efficient ways of delivering our projects, making sure we deliver value for Provided alternative money for the taxpayer. With demand for routes for walkers our roads set to increase, we are already and cyclists looking ahead to make sure our network is ready for future generations.

Reduced noise Reduced air pollution Protected biodiversity Alleviated flooding

Front cover photo: Traffic Officers patrol the M11, near Duxford, Cambridgeshire highwaysengland.co.uk/5yearStrategicbusinessplan 02 03

The strategic documents at a glance 04 08 In the second Road investment strategy This Strategic business plan is Foreword What our customers can expect (RIS2), government set out their vision. supported by our Delivery plan, which They depict a safer, more reliable and provides the detail of specific funding, greener strategic road network (SRN) activities and projects we will deliver that uses new technology, supports over the five years. It also discusses 18 Our performance goals the economy and is integrated into the how we approach efficiency and risk national transport network. management. Our Delivery plan includes our performance framework, which This document, our Strategic business 20 24 28 brings together all our delivery aims for Improving safety for all Providing fast A well-maintained plan, responds to and aligns with the second road period. and reliable journeys and resilient network government’s RIS2. It provides the high-level direction for every part of Highways England for the second 32 36 40 road period (2020 to 2025), setting the Delivering better Meeting the Achieving efficient delivery environmental outcomes needs of all users outcomes we will work to deliver and the strategic priorities for our business. 44 47 Planning for Annex: Funding table future road periods

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Foreword

Our Strategic business plan sets out our approach to building on our work in the first road period between 2015-2020. It describes a balanced portfolio of investment to maintain and operate the strategic road network (SRN) safely, and provide new capacity where it is most needed. It sets out our commitment to protecting the environment and communities, while getting our roads ready to support future businesses, jobs and homes. Our work will improve journey times and reliability for the freight industry, and help drive the country’s economy.

On 11 March 2020, as part of the Budget, Techniques like modular, off-site the chancellor announced a £27.4 billion construction have helped reduce disruption budget for investment in the SRN between to customers, increased the safety of our 2020 and 2025. The publication of the people and delivered benefits faster. government’s second Road investment strategy (RIS2) on the same day provided Having the certainty of long-term more detail. It recognised the importance investment, and a schedule of committed of the SRN to the economy, social schemes and targets, has helped us move wellbeing and connecting the country. away from managing the SRN as individual It demonstrated government’s confidence pieces of asset, such as tarmac, concrete, in our ability to deliver our challenging bridges and signs. We’ve reached a place programme of activity, which we have where government considers our roads as now presented in this document. It is a a fully integrated system, and a part of the big plan, and we are confident in our broader UK transport network. As a result, abilities to deliver it because of what we we can work better with our stakeholders have achieved in the last five years. and with our supply chain as partners. We offer much improved customer service, Thinking back to how we were building and we are starting to clear the back log roads five years ago shows us how far of decades of under investment in the we’ve come. Traditional road design and country’s most important transport network. build techniques that had not changed significantly for decades were the standard. The last five years have also presented But, on schemes like our flagship A14 challenges, and we’ve learnt much. We Huntingdon to Cambridge*, we have have balanced a programme of works to introduced new practices which have maintain our ageing network alongside transformed the industry. the need to build new roads.

Jim O’Sullivan, Chief Executive, Highways England * The £1.4bn A14 scheme was delivered on time an on budget with a number of sections opening up to a year early. 06 Foreword 07

We understand that a poor travel Building on the stakeholder partnerships experience and delays on our network we have developed through our Designated can have big impacts on individuals, Funds programme, we will work with others businesses and communities. so our projects have even bigger benefits for the communities alongside our roads. We’re taking our learning from our first And by working with organisations such as five years into this new road period. Over sub-national transport bodies, we will make the next five years, the safety of our road sure that every part of the country feels the users and our people will remain our first benefit of our work. imperative. We will reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the We’ll do all of this and deliver efficiencies SRN by 50%. of £2.23 billion, providing even better value to the taxpayer than achieved in the We will also clear incidents more quickly last five years. and keep our roads better maintained. We will clear at least 86% of incidents within Looking further, we will develop our plans an hour and will make sure that 95% of our for the third road period and beyond. By road surfaces meet our standards. working closely with our supply chain, we will understand the challenges they face, and We will keep our customers well informed make sure they are equipped for the future. by making sure that at least 90% of the information we publish about roadworks is We have set out more detail about how we accurate. And we will be a good neighbour will achieve all of this in our Delivery plan to those who live and work near our roads, 2020-2025, which is published alongside doing even more to minimise our impact on this document. the environment we live in. We know that society faces complex We want our network to create a challenges over the next decade and positive legacy for future generations. beyond. How, for example, we can In this road period we will reduce our improve air quality, cut carbon emissions own carbon emissions and support and improve biodiversity as part of a government’s ambition to achieve net vibrant, forward-looking economy. Our aim zero carbon by 2050. is to create a sustainable SRN that meets the future needs of our stakeholders, road We will also use our data and knowledge users, communities and the environment to get ready for a fully digital era and the we live in. developments that will bring, such as digitally connected and autonomous vehicles.

Woodhead Reservoir, Peak District Jim O’Sullivan

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How we run our network Investing in our people and our What our customers organisation to develop new Designated funds technology and further improve our Delivering projects which will capabilities and information systems. can expect Scheme development have wider benefits for Preparing for the third road customers, neighbouring period and planning for a network £1.1bn communities, the environment Over the second road period that meets the future needs of and the economy, and addressing the country, our customers and issues beyond the traditional Responding to government’s RIS2, we have developed a clear programme for the neighbouring communities. focus of road investment. second road period. We will balance our funds across enhancements schemes and operating, maintaining and renewing our roads. We will use our designated funds to address issues beyond the traditional focus of road investment, including to help reduce our carbon footprint. Our whole programme will keep the country moving and create greater capacity to connect businesses, families and friends. We will help sustain up to 64,000 construction industry jobs and enable growth and housing, as well as supporting regional and national economies. £347m £27.4 billion £936m to invest in the Safer roads This has supported the construction industry and * Safety remains our first imperative. Our ambition kept our roads ready for normal levels of traffic. second road period over the second road period is to ensure our If, over time, Covid-19 affects our ability to meet network is safe, dependable and durable. We our targets or means we need to update our aim to at least halve the number of people killed plans, we will set out relevant changes in our or seriously injured on our roads by the end of annual Delivery plan update. 2025, against the 2005-2009 annual average baseline. Achieving this target will keep us on Well-operated and maintained roads course to reach our goal of zero harm on our Operating, maintaining and renewing our network network by 2040. will remain the bedrock of our activity, and we have made £10.8 billion of funding available for Responding to Covid-19 this purpose. We will work to keep our roads £10.8bn Our plans were developed before the outbreak running safely and smoothly, and our customers £14.2bn of Covid-19, and we remain committed to informed and prepared. We will ensure that our delivering them. assets, including everything from bridges to Operations, maintenance roadside signs, are well maintained, and that and renewals Enhancement schemes Throughout this unprecedented time, our we protect the surrounding environment. We Repairing and replacing our road Investing in large and often complex network has remained open. Working in line will increase investment in renewals activity to surfaces and other assets, such as schemes to improve the quality and with government advice, we have kept our pre-empt problems, particularly across concrete bridges, barriers and signage, while capacity of our roads, while also customers, people and suppliers safe, enabled roads, our largest structures and safety barriers. keeping traffic moving on our roads, preparing for a digital future. essential travel, undertaken critical maintenance 24/7, 365 days a year. and progressed our schemes.

*Figures do not add up due to rounding. See funding table on page 47 and the Delivery plan for a full description of our activities. 10 What our customers can expect | The second road period 11

Enhancement schemes For the full scheme list, please read our Delivery plan. Enhancement schemes across the country We will work flexibly with customers and We will invest over £14.2 billion in stakeholders to invest these funds where they are enhancements schemes across the next most needed over the next five years. five years, providing a benefit of £27 billion to customers, local communities and the Scheme open for traffic beyond RP2 wider economy. These benefits will come Our designated funds: A1 from improved journey times and access to „ Safety and congestion fund Scheme open for employment and housing developments. traffic during RP2 „ User and communities fund A19 A69 Newcastle upon Tyne A1 „ Environment and wellbeing fund Carlisle Sunderland We plan to open 25 schemes started in the A1 M6 A1(M) A19 first road period, begin construction on 12 „ Innovation and modernisation fund A66 Middlesbrough A595 new schemes, and develop over 30 pipeline A174 A66

schemes. Every part of the country will see A19 A590 the positive effect of our investment. We will Improved integration with wider A1 improve connectivity and enable safe, reliable transport infrastructure A64 M6 and timely journeys. By responding to local We are working collaboratively to improve A585 Yo r k Leeds M621 M1 Kingston upon Hull M55 M65 M606 growth priorities and increasing productivity, we integration with wider transport infrastructure M62 A63 Preston A56 M61 will also help government build a stronger, more across the country. This will help our customers M62 A1 A180 M58 Manchester M1 M18 Grimsby balanced economy. travel more easily, support businesses to M60 M180 Liverpool ( ) M57 A616 A1 M M62 A628 Sheffield operate more effectively, and provide better M53 A556 M56 A46 Lincoln We will consider the environment in all parts of access to ports and airports. Our schemes will A1 A55 M6 M1 A500 A38 Stoke-on-Trent A52 our schemes, from design through to delivery. improve resilience and connections between Derby Nottingham

Our aim is to achieve no net loss of biodiversity ports, helping prepare for the forecast increased A50 A453 A483 A5 A38 A46 M6 A42 Norwich A47 through our activities, as well as to tackle air and demand for freight capacity. Over 27 million M54 A47 A458 A5 M42 A1 M6 Toll M69 A12 water quality, improve our carbon footprint and vehicles are also forecast to use our flagship Leicester Peterborough M6 Birmingham A5 A1(M) A11 A14 reduce noise pollution. Lower Thames Crossing in its first year of M5 M42 Coventry M1 A14 M45 A45 A14 operation, 4.5 million of which will be heavy A49 A11 A428 Worcester A5 Cambridge A46 A421 Ipswich Addressing issues beyond the traditional goods vehicles (HGVs). A1 M40 A14 A12 M50 A43 Milton M11 focus of road investment ( ) Keynes M1 A1 M A120 A40 A120 A417 A5 In the second road period, our designated funds Efficient, cost-effective delivery A40 Gloucester Oxford A34 M25 will help us deliver improvements in a range We expect to achieve £2.23 billion of efficiencies M5 M40 A12 M48 A419 Swindon Southend-on-Sea M4 M4 A404 A13 of areas, from conserving cultural heritage to in the second road period through a variety of M4 Reading London Bristol M32 M2 A249 strengthening flood resilience. They will also help innovations and improvements. This will mean M4 A34 M25 M26 A2 A36 us improve integration and support walkers, that our customers will see even more investment M5 A303 M3 M20 M23 A3 Crawley A2070 A20 A21 cyclists and horse riders. We will use the themes for their money than has been possible in the A36 Folkestone A303 A23 A259 we set out in our long-term vision, Connecting the past. With funding now directly linked to the A31 M27 Yeovil A3(M) A27 A27 A259 country, to guide our funding of innovation. money that people pay through vehicle tax, Exeter Brighton A30 Portsmouth A30 we recognise that efficient delivery, alongside A35

excellent customer service and responsiveness, Torquay Plymouth A38 is more important than ever. A30 0 kilometres 60

0 miles 40

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Smart motorway stocktake

In March 2020, government published its Smart always clear whether the hard shoulder is in use We will construct ten additional emergency motorway safety evidence stocktake and action on dynamic hard shoulder stretches of smart areas on the M25 by December 2020. These plan. Government supports smart motorways motorway; all lane running will provide a more will be on the sections of smart motorway with as a safe and effective way of providing faster consistent experience for motorists. a higher rate of live lane stops, which coincides and more reliable journeys, recognising that they with the biggest spacing between places to reduce the disruption and destruction otherwise We will roll out stopped vehicle detection stop in an emergency. We will closely monitor needed to widen our busiest roads. to existing all lane running smart motorway and evaluate the impact of these additional by the end of March 2023 with a clear public emergency areas on the level of live lane stops. Government want smart motorways to be timeline. We have already trialled this system on even safer than conventional motorways. We two smart motorway sections of the M25. The Following the installation and evaluation will directly deliver 17 of the 18 actions in the system uses radar technology to detect stationary of the ten additional emergency areas stocktake and will support the Department for vehicles. It can alert a control centre operator, who on the M25, we will review by March Transport (DfT) in delivering the remaining one. can see the incident on camera, close lanes and 2022 the impact of a national programme These actions focus on making smart motorways dispatch traffic officers. This will help motorists for installing more emergency areas on even safer and increasing public confidence. who do have a live lane breakdown and are unable existing smart motorways. This will build to get to an emergency area. By December on lessons learnt from the M25 programme Working with DfT, we have developed a package 2020 we will also complete a large-scale trial around the practicalities and impact of of measures. While still in our programme, we of a system that analyses CCTV images. additional emergency areas on an operational have rescheduled schemes to prioritise the The trial will identify the viability of using our CCTV smart motorway, as well as the wider stocktake actions. We have set out scheme coverage on smart motorways to provide another implications of a national programme. dates in our Delivery plan, along with more option alongside stopped vehicle detection. details about what we are doing to make smart We will continue to monitor our network, as motorways even safer. We will make changes to traffic officer per our licence agreement. Should a cluster patrols on smart motorways where the of road traffic accidents be identified, we will We have already started delivering the stocktake existing spacing between safe places to investigate and, where required, take action. actions and show completion dates below. stop in an emergency is more than one mile. They are being taken forward as a priority and Our aim is to reduce attendance time from an Some existing emergency areas are narrower we will meet all the deadlines in the action average of 17 minutes to 10 minutes, and to reach than the current 15 foot standard when measured plan. We will seek to minimise disruption on the those who need assistance quicker. Roll-out will from the edge of the carriageway, although they network, for example, by installing new signs and start as soon as possible, with full coverage of the are still significantly wider than a traditional 11 foot enforcement cameras, when we have planned relevant elements on our network by July 2021. hard shoulder. We will evaluate all existing road closures in place for other activities. emergency areas identified to be less than We have already implemented a design 15 foot standard by October 2020, and The actions we will take are set out below: standard that reduced the distance if feasible and appropriate, widen to the between safe places to stop in an current standard. We will end the use of dynamic hard shoulder emergency to a maximum of one mile. motorways, upgrading them to all lane running by We now propose that, where feasible, the converting the hard shoulder into a permanent maximum spacing should be three quarters traffic lane.We will upgrade all existing of a mile. This new standard will be applied to dynamic hard shoulder motorways by March future schemes when they enter the design stage 2025. We know that some road users are not from November 2020. M42 junction 3a, Warwickshire 14 What our customers can expect | Smart motorway stocktake 15

We have updated all existing emergency Using our stopped vehicle detection system, areas on our smart motorways to have a we plan to roll out the automatic display bright orange road surface and dotted lines, of a ‘report of obstruction’ message. This as well as better and more frequent signs on will warn oncoming drivers of a stopped vehicle approach showing where to stop. ahead. We are already trialling this on the M25, and expect to start the full roll-out of automation We will investigate what more can be done by the end of 2022. on the M6 Bromford viaduct and sections of the M1 identified in the stocktake. We will We will make information available to SatNav assess these sections to understand contributory providers to allow identification of emergency factors and consider if there are potential further areas on their systems, if requested. We will suitable interventions by November 2020. This work with providers and create a database of work is already underway and we will share our emergency areas to enable them to use M6, West Midlands findings with DfT before the end of this year. and display the information. We will provide location information to SatNav providers We will also continue with our ongoing by March 2021. We will lead the update to the We will also support DfT with their safety monitoring to evaluate whether existing Highway Code to provide more review of whether recovery vehicles and new smart motorways are as safe as, or We will engage with car manufacturers guidance for motorists on smart can use red flashing lights. safer than, the conventional motorways they by November 2020 to understand how motorway driving, including replaced. We will provide annual reporting from we can help build greater awareness and emergency area signage. This will Our roads are already some of the October 2020. understanding of ‘eCall’ or SOS buttons. require close working with DfT and the safest in the world. The stocktake has Increasing numbers of new cars come with these Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. We been a welcome opportunity to review We will install more traffic signs between buttons, which can be used to call for help in the expect the updated Highway Code to be the evidence on smart motorways and places to stop in an emergency. By event of a breakdown or emergency anywhere on published by March 2022. look at where there are opportunities to March 2023, these will typically be between the roads, not just on smart motorways. improve. We will continue to evaluate the approximately 330 and 440 yards apart. In March 2020, we signed a partnership effectiveness of all these measures as part The law has now changed to enable automatic agreement to unite with the independent of our standard evaluation processes, and To improve public perception and increase detection and enforcement of ‘Red X’ violations recovery industry. The agreement sets out work towards our aim of zero harm on our understanding of driving on motorways using cameras. The vast majority of drivers several initiatives. These include identifying network by 2040. without hard shoulders, including smart comply with Red X signs but, for the very small opportunities for how we can support motorways, we will develop a multi-channel minority who do not, the police have the powers recovery operators’ safety through ‘emergency aware’ driver campaign. to prosecute. The penalty is three points on the educational material and information We will work in partnership with DfT as well as driver’s licence and a £100 fine, or the driver can promoting safe working practices on other key stakeholders, including the recovery and be referred to an awareness course. We have the SRN. We will undertake a review insurance industry, Driver and Vehicle Standards already started the work, and we will complete of our current touchpoints and Agency and the police. The campaign will include the upgrade of all existing smart motorway activities with the recovery industry, an advert to be aired across prime-time television, enforcement cameras (known as HADECS3) and develop a plan for improving video on demand, radio, out of home and social by July 2023 to automatically detect such engagement and partnership working media advertising. We will launch the campaign violations and enable Red X enforcement. by September 2020. once traffic levels have stabilised following the impact of Covid-19.

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Demand Over the long term What do we mean by digital roads? Demographic While planning for the second road In Connecting the country, published in and usage shifts Digital roads is a concept based on using connectivity, period, we also looked to the future. December 2017, we identified the trends data and technology to improve the way the SRN is While no one can forecast with absolute that will shape the SRN and influence our designed, built, operated and used. We will invest certainty, we undertook extensive operations over the next 30 years and in our digital capabilities to drive fundamental shifts On-demand research and consultation to understand beyond. Following widespread research consumption in the way we work across three core areas. This the likely future and our role within it. We and consultation, we grouped these trends could lead to providing better information directly to used this information, and government’s into three areas: demand, infrastructure customers based on real-time data, an increase in strategic vision, to set out how we will and vehicles. remote asset monitoring, and further efficiencies in make our roads work better over the Connectivity project design and delivery. short, medium and long term. Using these trends, we explored the potential future scenarios that might

Planning for the future occur and what we believe is most likely Infrastructure We expect, and are planning for, to happen. We have considered how our Our vision technological advances over the next 30 network may need to change to reflect Smart assets years that will revolutionise transportation, this possibility. We have also worked 1. Digital for customers road travel, and personal and commercial through the practical steps that we expect Our customers will increasingly be given high-quality mobility. The rise of connected and to undertake over the short, medium and information without having to seek it out. Trusting the autonomous vehicles, for example, is long term. information we provide, our customers will feel safe, Construction likely to radically change travel as we better informed and in control of their journeys. innovation know it. Connected systems promise Laying the foundations for digital roads better information direct to users, while We are already working with others in the 2. Digital operations autonomy could increase people’s road sector and beyond to prepare for a Our operations will use data to drive increasingly mobility, reduce incidents and improve fully digital age. Our ambition is to integrate Reducing impact, pre-emptive interventions, leading to a safer, smoother national productivity. Our roads, our digital technology into every aspect of increasing resilience running network with increased asset life and reduced infrastructure and even our ways of our project life cycles, from scheme asset failure. working will need to change to embrace design through to construction and Vehicles and enable this new way of travelling. operation. We are laying the foundations 3. Digital design and construction for connected vehicles and enabling two- Our activities will be increasingly automated, modular Electrification way communication between roadside and conducted off site. This will result in safer infrastructure and in-car devices. production, increased productivity, reduced disruption on our roads, and smoother journeys for our customers.

Connectivity and autonomy

Mobility as a service

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Our performance goals Our KPIs Improving safety for all Providing fast and reliable journeys

At least a 50% reduction in the number Ambition that average delay per mile 97.5% of lanes free from closures caused Commitments Outcomes of people killed or seriously injured on driven will be no worse by the end of by roadworks in 2020-21. Revised metric the SRN by the end of 2025, compared RP2 compared to the end of RP1. and target for remaining years of RP2. with the 2005-09 average baseline. Our performance framework for the second road As agreed with DfT, Transport Focus and ORR, SA-A ime to period brings together all our delivery aims for the our framework reflects how we will deliver the 2 ins 2 ins next five years, including those from government’s following six outcomes: RIS2, into one place. It will provide the basis for monitoring by the Office of Rail and Road A well-maintained and Meeting the needs of all users (ORR), along with our Delivery plan. We have 1 Improving safety for all Achieve 86% of motorway incidents resilient network built this framework based on research, insight cleared within one hour, based on 82% road user satisfaction score for and consultation, as well as from observing best 2 Providing fast and reliable journeys 24-hour coverage. 95% of road surface in a condition that first two years of RP2 with year-on-year practice in other sectors. We have worked closely requires no further investigation for increases in the following years. with Transport Focus, recognising their role in 3 A well-maintained and resilient network maintenance for years 1 and 2 of Road 1 representing the interests of our customers. Period 2. 4 Delivering better environmental outcomes Our framework covers the following areas: „ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), 5 Meeting the needs of all users with targets used to measure the Delivering better environmental outcomes service we provide. 6 Achieving efficient delivery By 2024-25, 90% of overnight road closures information accurately issued „ Other indicators that we will report on Road noise mitigation for 7,500 No net loss of biodiversity across all seven days in advance of work starting. every year to demonstrate performance. These outcomes respond to and align with households in ‘noise important areas’, Highways England activities by the „ Commitments without a numeric measure. government’s priorities, as set out in RIS2: a funded through designated funds. end of RP2. „ Government’s RIS2 enhancement network that supports the economy; a greener schemes and their key milestones. network; a safer and more reliable network; a „ The Designated Funds definition list. more integrated network; and a smarter network. „ A summary of our key asset renewals. „ A list of protocol services that we carry out In the rest of this document, we have set out for government, such as maintaining the under each outcome our priorities for the second Bring agreed sections of the SRN Reduce carbon emissions resulting 6. Achieving efficient delivery national strategic salt stock. road period and some of the key activities we will into compliance with legal NO2 limit from Highways England’s electricity deliver to make progress towards them. These values as soon as possible​. consumption, fuel use and other Achieve efficiency target of£2.23 bn on This framework will enable monitoring and priorities also provide the foundations for the day-to-day operational activities capital and operational expenditure by measurement of our activities in a fair, strategies we will develop across our business. during RP2. the end of RP2. balanced and transparent way. We will use it to demonstrate the progress we make across projects and services, and the performance we provide in areas that are important to our customers and stakeholders. Further details of the performance measures we will be monitored against can be found in our Operational metrics manual. highwaysengland.co.uk/5yearStrategicbusinessplan 20 21

Our performance outcomes 1. Improving safety for all What we are doing to improve safety for road workers We need to keep our customers, people and suppliers safe, above all else. Since 2015, we have reduced the number of casualties on our roads by 18%. We know that our people are at risk every minute We have reduced the accident rate among our traffic officers and regional they work close to moving traffic and in construction sites. We are constantly testing possible control centre colleagues by 95%, and the incident rate among our supply solutions to minimise these risks. We are, for chain by over 50%. Our roads are some of the safest in the world, but we example, developing standardised, pre-fabricated know there is more we can do to. In June 2019, we launched Home safe and infrastructure to reduce time and exposure on site. well, our integrated approach to health, safety and wellbeing, which underpins We are introducing giant mobile barrier lorries, giving physical protection for road workers and everything we do. In the second road period, we will work to prevent motorists. We are trialling SAFETYcam: an incidents occurring. We will also focus on reducing incident severity through a innovative camera system that aims to change package of activities to promote safer roads, safer people, safer vehicles and driver behaviour by capturing dangerous driving coordinated collision response. We will use our Safety and congestion fund and providing a visual deterrent. We are also trialling an automated cone-laying system that to deliver targeted schemes across the country. We will also learn from other will reduce our workers’ exposure to risk. organisations and stakeholders about what works best.

Building health, safety and wellbeing

We want everyone who works with us and We have identified six focus areas that are critical to travels on our network to get home safe and well. how we will improve health, safety and wellbeing for That means getting home to the people we love, our customers, people and suppliers: and for the things that we love doing. In Highways England, and throughout our supply chain, this Effective Capable Clear leadership people expectations matters more than anything else. Our Home safe and well approach builds on our achievements since publishing our Health and safety five-year plan in Home safe and well 2015. As part of this approach, we will: Our customers • Our people • Our suppliers „ build a positive health, safety and wellbeing culture „ promote greater ownership „ embrace innovation Engaged Health, safety and A learning „ place more importance on health and wellbeing stakeholders wellbeing by design organisation

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Driving for Better Business Providing safe, free-flowing roads Keeping our people and suppliers We know that better understanding the causes safe, healthy and well Our Driving for Better Business programme raises of incidents through collecting, analysing By caring for our people and helping them awareness of the benefits for private and public and sharing data and research will help us remain safe and healthy, we create a company sector employers of managing work-related driving improve the safety of our roads. Building on that people want to work for. In the second more effectively. We provide tools, resources and work undertaken to date, we will use this road period, we will strengthen our focus on guidance to help employers reduce the risk of their insight to introduce initiatives to further reduce health, safety and wellbeing. We will develop employees being involved in a collision. These risks. We will develop and implement strategic a culture where mistakes can be reported resources also help decrease associated costs Saving lives through three-star roads approaches, like Home safe and well, that show more openly and lessons learned so they are and improve compliance with current legislation how we will save lives and meet our legal duties. not repeated elsewhere. We will analyse our and guidance. Halving road deaths and injuries is a United Nations We will use our Safety and congestion fund to performance to make informed decisions about sustainable development goal. Member states have improve safety, reduce congestion and support how to improve, sharing what we have learnt. We have led by example, achieving Driving for Better agreed that all new roads will be built to a three-star economic development. To improve safety across our supply chain, Business champion status. We are embedding the or better standard, and by 2030 more than 75% and raise industry standards, we will support programme across our suppliers, who in turn are of travel will be on the equivalent of three-star or Reducing harm caused by road incidents our suppliers to achieve Driving for Better sharing with their own supply chain. As of May 2020, better roads. It is estimated that achieving these We already build safety considerations into Business champion status. We will also use employers registered in our programme collectively targets will save 467,000 lives globally every year. the physical infrastructure on our roads to our Safety and congestion fund, and Innovation manage over 900,000 drivers. reduce the probability of incidents occurring, and modernisation fund, to make targeted and the severity if they do. We assess the improvements. We will, for example, use data ‘star rating’ of our network, using the latest and technology to increase the speed and quality version of the International Road Assessment of our design and construction, reducing the Encouraging better driver easuring success Programme model. We will improve our star number of people exposed to traffic on site. behaviour and safer vehicles rating through work such as removing roadside Unsafe drivers often present the greatest umber of people killed or hazards and improving safety barriers. Our Improving safety for walkers, cyclists, horse risk on our roads. We will focus our safety seriously injured on the S specialist teams are also constantly testing new riders and our communities communications on building customer products, including road surfacing materials, to People that walk, cycle or ride on our roads need knowledge, changing driver attitudes and evaluate the potential safety benefits. Alongside targeted interventions to protect them from harm. influencing behaviour on our network. 50 traditional road safety engineering measures, We will use our Safety and congestion fund, and We will build on our National casualty reduction by the end of we will deliver new initiatives appropriate to our Users and communities fund, to deliver local reduction incident plan, working with the location. This could include sharing driver schemes to improve their experiences. This could customers on how to safely use our roads information and collaborating with police and include improving existing crossings or providing and prepare for their journeys. safety partners to influence driver behaviour. new ones, enhancing or installing new cycle lanes, and improving signs. We will also identify We will work with the freight and recovery opportunities within our enhancement schemes industries to identify how we can help vs - average to deliver local benefits to these groups. We will drivers to stop in safe locations, and use our National Road Safety Forum to lead an collaborate on training. We will also industry-wide approach to suicide prevention, support further efforts to tackle the aiming to eliminate suicides on our roads. shortage of lorry parking. Freight logistics businesses depend on our roads and their ability to move goods safely and efficiently is vital to the country’s economy.

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Our performance outcomes 2. Providing fast and reliable journeys

We want to help people and businesses have safe, reliable and efficient journeys. To do so, we will start work on government’s priority schemes and invest in improvements where they are most needed, regionally and nationally. We will respond to the requirements of our customers, stakeholders and the businesses that rely on our network, and collaborate with partners such as sub-national transport bodies. Our Safety and congestion fund will support measures at a local level, such as improving traffic flow and journey reliability. Meanwhile, our traffic officers and control centre Port of Dover, Kent employees will improve customers’ journeys by tackling and clearing incidents to restore the availability of the network, as soon as it is safe to do so. Supporting national and international connectivity and trade Building a modern network We will take forward potential schemes to various Government aims to make the United Kingdom On average, a major enhancement scheme takes levels of development, without committing to a more attractive place to trade, invest and eight years from the start of development to construction in the future. By seeking to balance visit, improving our global competitiveness. To road opening, including extensive consultation. available funding, competing pressures and risks, support this aim, we will provide transformational We expect to open 25 schemes started during we will provide a sound basis for further planning. investment in key strategic and economic routes. the first road period which will modernise This will help us provide a range of options We will progress major strategic schemes scoped our network. We will complete several smart to support future decision making, carefully in the first road period, including upgrading the A66, Yorkshire motorway projects, connecting different parts progress preferred schemes through statutory A66 Northern Trans-Pennine route. We will move of England and laying the foundations for planning processes and ensure we are ready forward with other flagship projects, including the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine technological advances. We will also start 12 new for the third road period. It will also help us build Lower Thames Crossing and upgrading the A303 The A66 is the most important east-west route enhancement schemes. supply chain stability and enable efficient, cost and A358 between the M3 and the M5 to provide for many of England’s northern counties. Drivers effective delivery. a high-quality south-west connection. We will also in Scotland and Northern Ireland also choose this Potential schemes for the third road period will begin construction of a tunnel near Stonehenge, route to make many of their long-distance journeys. need to enter development between now and For more details on these pipeline projects, the largest environmental improvement ever made We will upgrade the A66 to dual carriageway 2025. Government’s RIS2 includes a pipeline see our Delivery plan. to one of our roads. between the A1(M) and the M6, creating the first programme of over 30 such potential projects new Trans-Pennine dual carriageway since 1971. that we will examine over the next five years. We We will work with stakeholders and partners to We will start construction over the next five years, expect that other projects will emerge too. increase national and international connectivity. and deliver this work as a single coordinated This will include enabling national infrastructure programme into the following road periods. projects, such as HS2. We will work closely with our freight customers to understand how we could better support their operations. 26 Our performance outcomes | 2. Providing fast and reliable journeys 27

Artists impression of Lower Thames Crossing Improving incident management This will help us manage unplanned disruptions, Our traffic officers work around the clock to for example identifying alternative routes more resolve incidents and protect customers, while efficiently, reducing congestion and preventing our people in control centres monitor and secondary accidents. We will learn from how manage our network 24/7. New control room we manage lengthy incidents to identify best technology will help improve our effectiveness, practice, keeping customers’ welfare at the resilience and ability to deploy our people more forefront of our minds. The roll out of our flexibly at busy times or during emergency Operational Excellence programme will further incidents. We will work in partnership with improve how we manage our network. others to support smooth and delay-free journeys from beginning to end.

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence is an internal package of We will also train more of our traffic officers to review initiatives and best practice across our business that our assets as part of their safety patrols, freeing our Lower Thames Crossing Through these targeted projects, we will supports better decision making and reduces the cost inspectors to conduct more technical assessments. The Dartford Crossing carries millions of tonnes improve traffic flow, increase connectivity and of our operational and maintenance activities. As part We will use performance data to develop deployment of freight from the Channel ports, vehicles from create opportunities for growth and housing. of this programme, for example, we will combine our strategies from new and existing traffic officer base the M25 and local traffic. Our 14.5 mile Lower We will collaborate with external organisations control centres with our maintenance network control sites, helping us achieve our one-hour incident Thames Crossing project will connect the A2/ to achieve more than we could do in isolation. centre, currently outsourced, to establish single regional clearance target more often. M2 in Kent, east of Gravesend, crossing under This includes working with local authorities, operations centres. This will allow us to respond to the Thames through twin tunnels, before joining local enterprise partnerships, sub-national incidents more quickly, with close coordination between the M25 in Essex. It will enable regional and transport bodies and interested stakeholders traffic officers and maintenance crews. national economic growth, improving access to attract third party funding. to jobs, housing, leisure and retail facilities on both sides of the river, as well as connecting We will be a proactive statutory planning communities. We are working closely with local consultee, enabling new developments and easuring success authorities and neighbouring communities to ensuring the safe, efficient operation of our turn these potential benefits into reality. network. We will work collaboratively with the Average delay etwork availability Incident clearance rate Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Connecting communities and enabling Government and with DfT on government’s o worse than end of P development and housing Housing Infrastructure Fund projects. These . 5 of lanes clear in first year cleared within an hour We know our roads can impact the projects will be delivered by local authorities, communities situated close to them, and with our support. SA-A ime to 2 ins 1 that a lack of good links can limit the scope 2 ins for growth and housing. Our Safety and congestion fund will enable us to deliver local measures, such as junction improvements.

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Orwell Bridge, Ipswich

Our performance outcomes 3. A well-maintained and resilient network

Our network is complex and varied, and it requires careful stewardship to keep it in good condition. Our maintenance programme is essential to safety and keeping our roads open, while our renewals activity allows us to maintain, safeguard and modernise all our assets. We have used research and data to understand what our network will need over both the short and long term, and incorporated this insight into our planning. We are committed to delivering our work in a way that minimises disruption to our customers and maximises value to taxpayers.

Keeping assets safe and serviceable Renewing and reconstructing assets We will work to keep our network in good We are improving the way we manage condition and minimise disruption for asset renewals, taking a planned, longer- our customers. We will carry out regular term view. Over the next five years, we will Improving driving conditions inspections and maintenance, such as litter need to substantially increase investment and ride quality clearance, graffiti removal and ensuring across three areas: concrete roads, Research by Transport Focus has shown sign and road markings are visible. We will safety barriers and our largest structures. the important role that smooth road use asset data, network knowledge and As these complex assets near the end surfaces play in customer journey customer insight to inform our activities of their life, we have been looking at experience. During the second road and keep our roads in good condition. Our requirements for the coming and future period, we will work with Transport Focus routine maintenance spending requirement road periods. This will allow us to smooth to develop a ride quality metric that will for the second road period is broadly the out peaks in spending, ensuring our measure this area. same as the last five years, taking future network remains safe. Misterton Salt Depot, Leicestershire needs and efficiencies into consideration. We will improve our roads’ resilience to We anticipate that our other assets, such severe weather and make sure our winter We will maintain the strategic salt stock as Our Asset management development as asphalt roads and signage, will require maintenance activities help keep roads an emergency reserve for local highway plan will describe improvements to better predictable and cyclical renewals. We safe and open. We will invest in a new authorities. We will also deliver more connect our activities, ranging from asset therefore expect renewals activities in these fleet of winter vehicles and in our weather focused severe weather warnings, better construction to maintenance, operations areas over the next five years to remain station replacement programme. recording of flood incidents and clear-up, and renewals. This will help create an broadly the same as in the first road period. and actions to prevent recurrence. improved and more consistent level of customer service. 30 Our performance outcomes | 3. A well-maintained and resilient network 31

Tackling the impact of unplanned works Our new maintenance programme should What we are doing to create lead to fewer emergency repairs and smoother, more consistent roads other unplanned works. Even so, we must be able to respond quickly when From our work with Transport Focus, we know the unexpected happens, such as fuel that journey comfort is incredibly important to our spillages and central reservation damage. customers. We are pioneering road resurfacing We will therefore allocate some of our techniques that provide a smoother ride and, thanks maintenance funding for emergency to new technology and ways of working, are safer, repairs, protecting our customers and saving both time and money. getting traffic moving again.

Our A1 West Moor and Newton-on-the-Moor road renewal scheme in Northumberland was the first easuring success project in the UK to use a new recycling technique. We used a specialist machine that stripped the oad surface maintenance top layer of the old road and recycled the material as it moved along. Using this technique, old road 5 becomes new road in just one pass, with more needs no further investigation surface being covered in each shift. This means less moving of machinery, resulting in safer conditions for road workers. It also means fewer road joints, leading to a smoother road surface and better experiences for road users. There are environmental benefits too, including a 33% reduction in carbon emissions and a significant amount of recycling.

Cold pave technology: Image courtesy of A-one+

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Our performance outcomes 4. Delivering better environmental outcomes

We want our roads to work more harmoniously with the communities that live alongside them, and the built, natural and historic environments that surround them. Every aspect of our business has a part to play in improving environmental performance, alongside ensuring we meet our statutory obligations. We will build on the progress made during the first road period and embed environmental considerations into all our activities, ranging from infrastructure design to scheme delivery. This will be supported by our Environment and wellbeing fund. We will also help government in delivering wider environmental strategies, including their 25-year environment plan, Road to zero strategy,

Clean air strategy 2019 and Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK.

Improving the health and wellbeing Supporting government’s ambition Maximising opportunities of people living near our roads to achieve net zero UK carbon for sustainability Emissions from vehicles on our roads can emissions by 2050 We are committed to putting sustainable affect the health of people living nearby. We We have a shared responsibility to development into practice. We want will support government’s Air quality plan tackle climate change. We are dedicated to encourage economic growth while

for nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) in UK, ensuring to minimising the greenhouse gases protecting the environment and improving

our network is compliant with NO2 limits generated from the activities within our safety and quality of life for current and in the shortest timescale possible. We will control. We will take responsibility for future generations. We will use our also explore the possibilities for including air reducing emissions from our vehicles, resources more efficiently, minimising quality standards and reporting requirements rationalising equipment, and designing demand for materials extracted from in supply chain vehicle contracts. our schemes and services to be carbon the ground and maximising re-use. We and energy efficient. We will reduce our will investigate the origins of our goods To improve the quality of life for those carbon footprint through initiatives such as and materials, understanding that their communities living close to our network, we introducing energy-saving measures for production and handling can have local, will reduce the number of people affected maintenance depots and using low-energy national and global impacts. We will by noise on the SRN. We will use quieter lighting and control systems for motorways. also work to increase the wellbeing of surfacing when renewing our roads. We will those who supply us with our also invest through our Environment and materials and resources. wellbeing fund to erect noise barriers and install noise insulation in people’s homes, Our Annual report and accounts includes a where appropriate. sustainability report to show our progress, as well as how we are meeting our statutory and licence obligations. Air quality monitoring station 34 Our performance outcomes | 4. Delivering better environmental outcomes 35

Improving the natural, built and We will work across areas as varied as: historic environment carbon emissions and our network’s We know that our work can have carbon footprint; biodiversity; air quality; a detrimental impact on the local noise; water quality; flood mitigation; environment. We will identify where we landscape; and cultural heritage assets. can improve environmental performance, We will work with stakeholders to invest for example improving our understanding our funds carefully and efficiently. of why litter is discarded and developing measures to change behaviour. Less Creating a network resilient to a litter will also reduce the time that road changing climate What we are doing to protect workers spend on busy carriageways, We will monitor, assess and respond to and improve biodiversity improving their safety. the impacts of climate change on our network. We will work in partnership with We are committed to protecting the natural We will consider the impact on the organisations such as the Environment environment that surrounds our roads surrounding environment as part of all Agency, the Met Office and local and achieving no net loss of biodiversity new schemes. We will be respectful of authorities to improve the resilience of through our activities. During the second place in our infrastructure design, and our network to more severe weather. road period, for example, we will improve take care to incorporate roads sensitively We will focus on reducing flooding on the habitat along the M6 corridor from into the landscape. We will undertake our roads and minimising risks for local Preston to the border with Scotland. environmental mitigation as part of communities, retrofitting our assets to We will add to our existing 28 hectares of scheme delivery, such as relocating meet new environmental and drainage grassland, providing a further 90 hectares of historic assets or replacing floodplains. standards. We will also improve the species-rich habitat. This will improve the diversity resilience of our concrete pavements to of plants along the verge and provide a source of We will also use our Environment and prolonged high temperatures as part of nectar for butterflies, moths and bees. We will wellbeing fund to address issues beyond our concrete maintenance and renewals create a four-year management plan for each plot the traditional focus of road investment, programme, taking remedial action to deliver, and maintain, long-term biodiversity as well as to innovate and improve. where necessary. benefits. This is just one example of the many projects that we will deliver over the next five years to help stop the loss of biodiversity. easuring success

oise mitigation target iodiversity target Air uality target Carbon emissions o net loss ring agreed educe 5 0 0 sections of the households by end of P through electricity fuel use into compliance and day-to-day operations

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Our performance outcomes What we are doing to improve the experience of walkers, 5. Meeting the needs of all users cyclists and horse riders

As part of improving our network across the country, We want to exceed the expectations of all those who use our network. There are many we want to reduce the barriers that our roads can touch points for our customers, from the infrastructure we provide and facilities we create for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. In the support, to the information we share and the control centres we manage. We have east of England, for example, we will fund seven projects on the A14 corridor alone to improve access combined our own research and feedback with insight from others to understand and create a more sustainable network. These how our services and roads may need to evolve. We will work with Transport Focus projects include extending an existing cycle path to deliver what our customers need and want, and to develop a pipeline of future ending in Girton to provide a route into Cambridge. activities. We will use our Users and communities fund to deliver local improvements, They also include providing a pedestrian and cycle path between Bar Hill and Longstanton. and we will work with local highway authorities and partners, such as sub-national We contributed £3.4 million to the total package of transport bodies, to increase integration. measures. An additional £1.5 million from partner match funding dramatically increased the benefits for all customers. Improving customer contact and engagement Building inclusion into our work We know our customers want reliable information, In everything we do, we consider the needs of our and we are already using customer insight and diverse customers and neighbouring communities, feedback to improve how, when and what we put extending our reach through customer forums. on our electronic message signs. We want to help Aiming to create better solutions and services customers feel safer by setting messages that for everyone, we embed equality, diversity and will help them make timely decisions about their inclusion into our engagement and decision- Providing seamless and Improving customers’ journeys. We will also set speed limits that are making. In the second road period, we will deliver integrated journeys experiences of our roadworks appropriate for the road conditions, and signals to accessible roads and infrastructure, and consider Few journeys start and end on our We understand that the volume of work help save customers’ time. the ways we can help local communities. Working network. We will work to improve access and associated roadworks can cause with partners, we will incorporate the needs of for everyone, whether they are in a car, frustration for our customers. We will aim We will improve our approach to customer all customers, in particular disabled users of our on foot, cycling or using public transport. to build our customers’ needs into the contact and engagement, building greater trust by network, into our planning. We will better integrate our network with design and construction of all projects. being easy to reach and by providing accessible local authority roads, as well as with We will use the 20 principles of our and accurate information quickly, and in the ways We have worked hard to develop approaches wider transport modes. We will work in Roadworks: a customer view to guide our customers prefer. As our stakeholders have told that result in long-lasting outcomes for our local, regional and national partnerships project teams and supply chain, as well as us that regular, wider sharing of information would customers and neighbouring communities. to support bus and coach companies our operating and contractual models. help journey decisions, we will explore how best We will reinforce these through our Users and in offering efficient, attractive services. This includes planning and designing to share real-time data to support integrated communities fund. We will also aim to improve passenger traffic management, as well as engaging planning with local highway authorities and facilities and support transport hubs to and communicating with our customers. other key partners. improve integration and reduce pressure on our network. 38 Our performance outcomes | 5. Meeting the needs of all users 39

We will embed successful initiatives from Such architecture will drive innovation By integrating and simplifying dozens We will ensure that our projects the first road period, such as greater and improve our ability to manage how of systems and sources of data, we incorporate digital technology from use of 60mph in roadworks where safe we use and extract value from our data. will also give our people, customers planning through to construction, to do so. We will also collaborate with We will, for example, be able to make and partners the information they need operation and maintenance. Transport Focus to identify new ways of better decisions about where and when at the right time, on the right device, improving our customers’ experiences of we should invest, delivering efficiencies in the right place. We will replace our We will use our Innovation Hub, a roadworks, including when they are using and increasing value for money. Better National Traffic Information Service with collaborative online platform, to gather diversion routes. access to information will also help an integrated solution that will keep new ideas from across the industry. This us provide more integrated transport our customers better informed about will be supported by wider innovation Reviewing and modernising planning. We will improve our data and incidents and roadworks. We will also competitions. We are already working our information systems information governance, helping give our update our fibre telecommunications with academics, and internal and external Modernising our information systems will customers greater confidence that what network, one of the largest in stakeholders, to conduct problem-solving help us work more effectively. We will invest we hold is kept safe and used ethically. England, and use digital technology research, as well as with organisations such in building our data-to-intelligence services and fibre optic cables to improve our as Innovate UK and I3P, the infrastructure and building an open-data architecture. service. Supporting our ambition for industry’s innovation collaboration platform. digital roads, this will also help us Our Innovation and modernisation fund will enable the trial of the latest cellular help us fund projects in areas as diverse as communications and connected and digital design and customer mobility. We will autonomous vehicles. also use our innovation programme to fund What we are doing to work new products, services and processes. with partners to provide Embracing digital technologies real-time updates We will work to develop the standards required for infrastructure to support We are building relationships with organisations connected and autonomous travel. and venues ranging from music festivals and Working with vehicle manufacturers, we exhibition centres to sports stadiums, ports and will seek to understand how information airports. We are, for example, working with the should flow to and from vehicles. Football Association (FA) to provide accurate information and real-time updates for people travelling to and from their events at Wembley easuring success and other stadiums. The FA has a significant social media following so getting access to the Road user satisfaction target Roadworks information target latest travel information is important to them. to be accurate seven Moving 90,000 people from Wembley Stadium days before work in first two years 0 starts by end of RP2 becomes much smoother with the right 2 coordination, and our partnership agreement means we can get real-time updates into the stadium before people leave for the car park.

SpursAbility Chairman Peter Carr enjoying a match at Wembley Stadium

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Our performance outcomes Driving efficiencies through our contracting models

6. Achieving efficient delivery Asset Delivery Our model provides access to a framework of Asset Delivery enables clearer decision making incentivised partners to design, assemble and as we bring some of the key early investment manage smart motorway technology. We have We are setting out to deliver £2.23 billion of efficiencies, which will mean strategies and decisions in house. It enables us common objectives with our partners, with that taxpayers will see even more investment for their money than in the to directly manage maintenance, operations and financial incentives to innovate and succeed. past. We will make improvements to how we procure and manage our scheme delivery. Through Asset Delivery, we will improve our asset knowledge and increase our Regional delivery partnerships suppliers, as well as to how we plan our own maintenance, operations control, including over schemes and the planning We have set up our regional delivery partnership and renewals. These activities will complement our internal capability and and scheduling of our activities. model to drive our supply chain to improve safety development programmes, and our steps to develop our company. All and journeys on our roads. It contains incentives money saved through efficiencies will be reinvested into our network. Alliance model for: shorter and better management of roadworks; Our alliance model uses a design and build buying more efficiently and locally; using regional approach to improve the design process and capability to benefit the region; and encouraging outputs, creating repeatable and stable delivery. innovation. It represents a fundamental change Delivering more value Understanding risks, One example of this is off-site fabrication, which in the way we deliver road projects. It will be through our supply chain inflation and efficiency allows for quicker and cheaper construction performance rather than cost-based, focusing The way we work with our suppliers is We know that, as projects are delivered, through saving time and materials. It also on building the right projects with the best changing. In the second road period, risks may materialise and the ability of minimises disruption to our customers and outcomes for our customers and our our contracting models, including Asset funding to cover projects can vary. We reduces our impact on the environment. neighbouring communities. Delivery, our alliance model and regional have calculated our overall portfolio risk, delivery partnerships, will help us work which has been primarily informed by more efficiently with our supply chain. the maturity of individual schemes. We We will create a network of suppliers believe we have the right balance of risk, Better planning of maintenance, We are committed to delivering our trusted to deliver ahead of time and below contingency, inflation and efficiency, operations and renewals frontline services in a more effective way to budget, without compromising on safety and that our programme of investment We want to use our resources in the increase capacity and improve the service or delivery. We will reward suppliers is deliverable. If delivery is in line with right way at the right time, causing the we offer to our customers. This means that based on performance, and encourage expectations, or inflation is lower than least disruption for our customers. We we will be able to respond to incidents as innovation. Our funding certainty means anticipated, there will be scope to will better plan our work, for example quickly and effectively as possible. we can provide a pipeline of work, helping gradually release funds for re-investment combining renewals activities and other suppliers invest in new techniques and in our network. operational and maintenance tasks training to provide greater efficiency. into work packages to make the best use of lane closures. We will also take the opportunity to create a national programme for the delivery of large capital renewals work, including for structures and concrete barriers. 42 Our performance outcomes | 6. Achieving efficient delivery 43

Reducing design costs and Building skills and capability, and construction time understanding future requirements People strategy We have already shortened the time it We value the people and skills we have takes to develop and build enhancement today, and we will work to identify those We are a business built around our people and our This strategy supports our aim to build an schemes, and we will make further we will need in the future. Through our collective capability to deliver. Our People strategy organisation where our people can reach their reductions by introducing the next Highways England 2025 organisational sets out our vision to support our business as well potential. Using this strategy, we will develop the generation of our Rapid Engineering plan and our People strategy, we are as the delivery of our investment programme over right skills and capabilities to meet the needs of our Model. This will draw on data analytics taking steps to develop our company and the second road period. Underpinned by our values business and customers, both now and in the future. and modular construction to reduce the improve our capacity and capability. We and behaviours, we have focused this strategy design and build period of new schemes. are confident we will improve each year. around key themes: Our Lean programme will also focus on We recognise the benefit of a diverse the areas that will provide the biggest talent pool, and we want our people to „ A great employee experience benefit. We will ensure that our supply reflect the communities we work in. „ Right people, right place, right skills chain is trained in Lean, and we will „ Accountable leadership integrate Lean maturity assessments into Our increasing use of Lean thinking „ Rewarded for high performance our supplier assessments for both design will help us work successfully across „ Engaged and motivated colleagues and construction. functions and develop a culture of „ A diverse and inclusive culture continuous improvement.

Our Rapid Engineering Model We will collaborate and coordinate our activities more effectively and ensure easuring success Several different terms are used to describe that we have the right balance between the increasing use of digital technology and centralised and decentralised decision- Efficiency target manufacturing in construction. Our Rapid making. As we will have broadly the Engineering Model is enabling quicker development same number of people, re-skilling of smart motorways through automatic digital and re-training will become important 2.23bn design. Using the model, we analyse three- for us. When defining our future dimensional topographic and environmental data organisational capability, we will need to to help identify opportunities and risks within a make decisions on whether expertise is specific project, or along an entire asset in our developed or bought. network. This has reduced design time from months to weeks, and means that we can produce Model. The next generation of this model will We will also work closely with our supply and assess scheme options much faster. reduce the cost and delivery time for other major chain and other organisations to improve schemes, using data analytics and modular skills, provide apprenticeships, launch We are digitising the Design manual for roads and construction techniques. By providing a data-driven graduate schemes, and get people bridges to future proof our standards. This manual approach to asset management, our model will also into work. We will collaborate with will help us further develop our Rapid Engineering support business operations. stakeholders and other interested parties to support the government’s Transport infrastructure skills strategy.

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Planning for future road periods

In this document, we have set out the strategic direction for every part of our company over the second road period. Alongside this detailed planning for the next five years, we have also been actively working with government, customers, stakeholders and partners to plan for the longer term. This includes understanding the likely trends, demands and priorities to ensure our network and our organisation will be fit-for- purpose for years to come. As nobody can predict the future with certainty, this will remain our focus throughout the second road period.

Understanding future challenges

Understanding strategic influences Refining our findings A30 Bodmin, Cornwall and external trends We are empowered by government to We expect, and are planning for, shape the network of the future, and this advances over the next 30 years that is not something we take lightly. Building Developing our standards and We will use our understanding of external will revolutionise transportation, road on Connecting the country, we will refine vision for our network trends and our future plans to further travel and personal and commercial our conclusions on the most prominent We have developed standards to guide develop these standards over the short, mobility. Our roads, our infrastructure influences and trends that will impact how we design and operate our network, medium and long term. We anticipate, and even our ways of working will need the future operation of our network. This which are detailed in the Design manual for example, that there will be a greater to change to embrace and enable new will include adapting to the challenge of for roads and bridges. These standards need to specify digital requirements ways of travelling. climate change, supporting low carbon are essential for: for all standards of road. As part of this, transport, increasing automation and „ ensuring our roads remain among the we will consider working with experts In Connecting the country, we identified digital technologies, and responding to safest in the world and innovators in digital technologies the trends which will shape the SRN changing travel preferences. „ providing a consistent and reliable to incorporate vehicle-to-infrastructure and influence our operations over the experience for all customers, and connectivity in future standards. next 30 years and beyond. Using these We will identify the potential improvements improving journey times and reliability trends, we explored the potential future which may be needed for our network. „ embedding environmental scenarios and what we believe is most We will undertake research to fill any considerations into our activities and likely to happen. knowledge gaps and take into account encouraging sustainable development nationally-significant projects that could „ ensuring our network is managed as impact on the SRN. part of a wider, integrated transport network, accessible for all customers 46 Planning for future road periods 47

Developing our network

Delivering government’s vision This includes consulting with and Annex: Funding table In RIS2, government set out their bringing together information from vision for a safer, more reliable and customers, local communities, greener SRN that uses new technology, stakeholders such as sub-national £m FY20/21 FY21/22 FY22/23 FY23/24 FY24/25 RP2 Total supports the country’s economy and transport bodies, environmental groups is an integrated part of the national and our supply chain. Working together, Operations and maintenance (Opex) 1,034 1,015 1,037 1,050 1,119 5,254 transport network. we will consider how our plans can Operations and maintenance (Capex) 355 317 217 318 226 1,434 support regional aspirations, including Looking beyond the second road period, considering opportunities for integration Renewals 676 765 844 888 935 4,108

we will keep our customers at the centre and sustainable development. We will Enhancements 2,460 3,081 2,995 2,918 2,722 14,176 of our long-term planning approach. We collaborate with Transport Focus to will work collaboratively with communities ensure we deliver what our customers Designated funds 182 180 185 200 189 936 and partner organisations to best achieve need and want. RP3 preparation and development 31 43 81 92 99 347 government’s strategic vision, using the plans set out in this Strategic business Addressing complex problems How we run our network (Opex) 167 145 162 171 174 820 plan and our Delivery plan. This will Our Strategic studies address complex How we run our network (Capex) 66 63 52 69 33 283 ensure we will develop and operate the problems on our network and, along with network our country needs to prosper in our Route strategies, inform our longer- Total 4,973 5,609 5,572 5,708 5,496 27,358 the decades to come. term plans for our network. Note: Some activities are classified differently in this table compared to the Statement of Funds Available (SoFA). Understanding national, regional Our Strategic studies from the first Our plans for delivering RIS2 have been set out according to our capital baseline. As agreed with government, this plan will be delivered and local priorities road period have created an ambitious within the £27.358 billion set out in RIS2, with the need to revise the allocation of funding in each year from that shown in this table. It is Our route strategies process provides programme of work that will affect our planned that the profile of spend should be updated later in 2020/21 once the impacts of Covid-19 are fully understood. an opportunity for us to understand plans into the third and fourth road pressing priorities and be clear about periods. We are currently working on what we intend to do where, why and five Strategic studies and government when. We are already working on the next has commissioned a further three generation of our route strategies, building studies that will inform the future on committed enhancement schemes planning of our network. and the pipeline of possibilities for the third road period. We are currently in early discussions about these strategies and will publish further information following agreement with government.

As part of this process, we are engaging widely to understand the priorities of different groups and the resulting strategic, regional and place-based needs.

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