The Atkins Jacobs Joint Venture, working with PwC, will develop business and delivery plans, setting out the case for multi-year investment across England’s strategic road network of motorways and major A-roads.
The recommendations will look to improve road safety, capacity, quality and user experience, while also supporting National Highways’ commitment to enabling economic growth and delivering net-zero road maintenance and construction by 2040.
The present highways funding crisis and project delays will have a substantial knock-on effect to the projected plan for RIS3 (2025-2030).
According to a recent National Autdit Office report already committed elements of the RIS2 programme have soared to £11.5bn from the £5.5bn estimate in 2020 and many projects will be shunted into RIS3.
Atkins U.K. and Europe CEO Richard Robinson said: “The successful delivery of critical infrastructure requires strategic long-term planning and a focus on outcomes that benefit people, communities and businesses, while balancing the needs of the natural environment.”
The work will inform the Department for Transport’s evaluation before it makes a final investment decision in late 2024, with the delivery of RIS3 starting in April 2025.