Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 24 March (HL6028), whether they will now answer the question put, namely whether they will conduct a strategic review of road construction, renewal and repair.

The Government has no plans to conduct a strategic review of this sort, but various initiatives are underway to update the guidance on the design, operation and maintenance of both the Strategic Road Network and local highways.

National Highways, for example, which is responsible for the Strategic Road Network (trunk motorways and major A roads) in England, is currently updating its Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). The DMRB contains information about current design standards relating to the design, assessment, and operation of motorway and all-purpose trunk roads in the United Kingdom.

The Department for Transport is also starting the process of updating the UK Roads Leadership Group’s guidance document Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice. This will provide new guidance to local highway authorities on how best to look after their local highway networks, and the Department will engage with the local highway sector as appropriate as the review progresses.