What is Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3)?
The Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS 3) is the UK Government’s third long-term investment strategy for England’s motorways and major A-roads – known as the Strategic Road Network (SRN).
Published on 26 August 2025 by the Department for Transport, RIS3 sets out government objectives and priorities for the SRN for the period April 2026 to March 2031 – often referred to as the third road period. It establishes the outcomes that National Highways must deliver, alongside the funding and performance expectations that underpin the investment strategy.
For public sector clients, consultants and contractors, RIS3 provides critical visibility of future road investment and programme direction across England.
Who is involved in RIS3?
RIS3 is shaped and delivered through a clearly defined governance structure:
Department for Transport (DfT)
The DfT sets the overall policy framework, funding envelope and strategic outcomes for the road investment period. It defines what the Government expects to achieve from investment in the SRN – whether that’s improved safety, better reliability or supporting economic growth.
National Highways
National Highways is responsible for operating, maintaining and enhancing England’s Strategic Road Network. Under RIS3, it develops detailed plans to deliver against the objectives and funding confirmed by DfT. The RIS3 strategy was influenced by the national highways SRN initial report.
Office of Rail and Road (ORR)
The Office of Rail and Road plays an independent monitoring and regulatory role. It reviews the efficiency and deliverability of National Highways’ plans and monitors performance across the road period to ensure public value is achieved.
This structure is designed to balance political direction, operational delivery and independent oversight.
RIS3 timeline and key milestones
RIS3 has been shaped over several years through consultation and evidence gathering.
- 18 May – 13 July 2023: Consultation on the Strategic Road Network Initial Report. This process informed the development of RIS3 and allowed stakeholders to respond to early proposals.
- 26 August 2025: RIS3 was formally published on GOV.UK.
- By March 2026: Government statements indicated the intention that the final RIS3 documentation would be confirmed ahead of the April 2026 start of Road Period 3.
For those tracking pipeline activity, these milestones are important. They provide confidence around direction of travel while allowing delivery organisations to prepare for mobilisation ahead of April 2026.
What does RIS3 cover?
RIS3 is a structured investment strategy covering:
Operations – Day-to-day running of the SRN, including traffic management and incident response carried out by National Highways.
Maintenance and renewals – Asset management across pavements, bridges, structures and technology to ensure long-term resilience.
Enhancements – Targeted improvement schemes to increase capacity, address congestion and improve safety.
Performance and outcomes – DfT sets measurable outcomes that National Highways must achieve. These typically relate to safety, network reliability, customer experience and environmental performance. Page 17 outlines the same six outline areas referenced in RIS2 that will have a suite of KPIs attached to them, ORR then monitors delivery against those metrics.
For the market, this signals a blend of large-scale enhancement projects alongside sustained programmes of maintenance and asset renewal – each requiring capable, compliant delivery partners.
What RIS3 could mean for the market and supply chain
Long-term road investment strategies create planning certainty. For contractors, consultants and SMEs in the highways supply chain, that certainty can translate into:
- Greater visibility of upcoming procurement activity
- Demand for specialist capability in structures, pavements and complex infrastructure
- A continued focus on efficiency, collaboration and measurable outcomes
As public bodies and contractors prepare for the April 2026 start, procurement routes that offer speed, compliance and flexibility will be critical .
How Procure Partnerships can support delivery of highways and infrastructure projects
At Procure Partnerships Framework, we work with public sector clients and delivery partners across infrastructure disciplines.
From my perspective in the infrastructure space, one of the consistent challenges under programmes like RIS3 is aligning the right specialist contractor capability with compliant procurement routes.
Our infrastructure lot provides access to experienced contractors covering highways, bridges and wider civil engineering schemes. You can download a breakdown of your contractors’ specialisms – from bridges and airports to railways and roads to understand the capability available.
Through direct award, single-stage or two-stage tender – explored further in our guide to single-stage vs two-stage procurement– we support clients to procure efficiently while maintaining competitive tension and quality outcomes.
If you would like to explore how our infrastructure lot can support your programme, contact me on 07507 295782 or email jordan@procurepartnerships.co.uk.
FAQs
What is RIS3?
RIS3 is the third Road Investment Strategy published by the Department for Transport. It sets objectives, funding and performance requirements for England’s Strategic Road Network from April 2026 to March 2031.
When does RIS3 run?
RIS3 covers the third road period, running from April 2026 to March 2031.
Who delivers RIS3?
The Department for Transport sets the strategy and funding. National Highways delivers the programme, with independent oversight and performance monitoring from the Office of Rail and Road.
How is RIS3 developed?
RIS3 was informed by consultation on the Strategic Road Network Initial Report between 18 May and 13 July 2023, alongside evidence reviews and engagement with stakeholders across the sector.
When will the final RIS3 be published?
RIS3 was published on 26 August 2025, with government statements indicating final confirmation ahead of the April 2026 start of the third road period.
