Overview
- The Department for Transport, which published its third Road Investment Strategy on Thursday, set a £27 billion budget for 2026 to 2031 with £8.4 billion for renewals and £3.8 billion for targeted enhancements.
- Flagship projects include the Lower Thames Crossing to ease pressure at the Dartford Crossing and the long‑planned upgrade of the A66 Northern Trans‑Pennine route.
- Regional commitments include more than £4.4 billion for the North, while reporting points to over £3.7 billion for the Midlands with work such as the A46 at Newark and a new M54–M6 link road.
- Ministers will continue to back 16 locally led Major Road Network and Large Local Majors schemes worth about £1 billion in central funding subject to business cases, with other projects withdrawn where councils cannot meet their share.
- National Highways faces new targets on safety and reliability alongside programmes on water quality, noise, air quality and biodiversity, and more than 9,000 kilometres of lanes are slated for renewal to deliver smoother journeys and quieter roads.