Written evidence submitted by Ringway Infrastructure
Services Limited (SRI0007)

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Ringway Infrastructure Services Limited welcomes the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into the Department for Transport’s Road Investment Strategy.  Together with its associated companies, Ringway Infrastructure Services Limited is responsible for looking after 50,000km of the UK’s highway network, delivering specialist highway services across the largest highways maintenance portfolio within the UK, including the strategic road network, DBFO motorway and trunck roads and the local authority network.  

2.0 The introduction of five-year investment strategies was a very welcome development as it provides the industry with an ability to plan for the medium term. Long term investment strategies also provides an opportunity for the Government and the Civil Service, Highways England and other strategic highway authorities, sub-national transport bodies, which have greater multi-modal remits, the local authority networks (which represent circa 96% of our networks), and sector industries to plan for advances in technology to drive efficiencies into the investment strategy and to deliver wider benefits. We also strongly believe there is a need for a longer term “horizon scan” for the changing future mobility from 2030 to 2050, that picks up the rapidly changing need for decarbonisation, multi-modal and exponential increase in digitalisation, that demands a UK PLC view that aids UK being on the forefront of the changes.

3.0 This submission concentrates on one specific point in the inquiry’s terms of reference, namely “how RIS3 should take account of technological developments and evidence of ways of increasing capacity on the strategic road network” but we trust the Transport Select committee will consider futureproofing, in light of the statement above.

DIGITAL HIGHWAYS

4.0 The development of 5G and 6G technology presents a major opportunity to turn the strategic road network (SRN), in tandem with the major road network (MRN), into major autonomous communications corridors that increasingly reduce the environmental impact of mobility.  While the investment would be significant and will require strong collaboration between national and local government and industry for its delivery, the benefits will be substantial.  These benefits can be summarised as follows:

• significantly enhanced road safety, with deaths and serious injuries reduced to a minimum (especially as the rollout of connected and autonomous vehicles gathers pace);

• delivering new and more efficient mobility models including “mobility as a service” with vehicles hired as an asset for “on demand” service and new service and use related taxation models, that move from a hypothecated fossil fuel duty and road fund license;

• enhanced traffic management, improving and smoothing traffic flows and reducing congestion (and thereby increasing road capacity), this also links with the point above on demand / mobility as a service;

• reducing traffic noise and air pollution through smoother less congested traffic flows, opening up greener and healthier mobility options, particularly on shorter journeys; and

• substantially enhancing the life expectancy of highway assets through remote monitoring, more efficient predictive maintenance, providing highways authorities with data on the evolving condition of highway assets and driving far greater efficiency into road maintenance activities;

A TRULY INTEGRATED ROAD AND TRANSPORT NETWORK

5.0 It is important to consider that almost every journey starts and ends on local roads. Therefore, to create a truly integrated road and transport network the DfT should consider a companion strategy for local roads, including the Major Road Network, to ensure levelling up and not a two-tier user experinece. Local Digital Highways can bring further benefits notably:

• enhanced traffic management, improving traffic flows – especially for emergency services – reducing congestion (and thereby increasing road capacity) and local noise and air pollution; 

• enhanced and modernizing parking and curb management by providing motorists with advance information on parking availability and enabling local authorities to remotely enforce compliance and payment;

• providing motorist with information on local activities or attractions (especially relevant for tourists) creating the ability to generate additional economic activity for local communities which might not otherwise occur; and

• enabling safer active travel management (walking, cycling, micro-mobility) at a local level for all members of the community, particularly the vulnerable members of society.

6.0 In summary digital roads relates to technology that unlocks connectivity and real-time data exchange, in turn leading to improved decision taking in asset and traffic management, and delivering better outcomes for users, residents, businesses and local communities.

7.0 Digital Highways can also provide the government with alternative ways of raising motoring taxes when / if traditional forms of motoring taxation need to be replaced.  The technology will be able to charge motorists by distance travelled, the time of day travelled, type of vehicle and by location, thus introducing a fairer and more progressive form of taxation compared to current motoring taxes.

8.0 In time, wider benefits may emerge with digital highways becoming more general data and information provision corridors providing wider societal benefits outside of the transport sector, enhancing real-time communications and self-serve information services.

THE CHALLENGES

9.0 There is no doubt that an investment programme to turn the strategic road (SRN), major road (MRN) and local road (LRN) networks, into digital highways is a significant challenge.  This will require strong leadership from, and collaboration between, national and local government and a strong partnership with the industry and interconnectivity with devolved nations and the European Union.  But the direct and indirect rewards will be significant too, particularly if we can be at the forefront and have a unified position on interoperability.   

10.0 As a first step, the government needs to establish a clear vision and strategy for the implementation of a digital highway investment programme.  RIS3 provides the opportunity to do just that, at least insofar as the strategic road network is concerned, building on the Digital Roads strategy already published by National Highways.  But the vast majority of roads are managed by local authorities, and almost all journeys start and end on local roads.  While RIS3 provides the opportunity for the government to set out a clear plan for the development of digital highways on the strategic road network, this must be capable of being applied to the local road network, including the Major Road Network – and only when the entire network is digitized can the full benefits of safety, congestion and pollution improvement be secured.

11.0 Financing and funding will also be a significant challenge given that public finances are under continued pressure.  Some form of public / private partnership will need to be developed to finance and fund such a large investment programme. Delivering digital highways through an evolved PPP type model could also enable a more outcome-based measure of road performance, provide certainty of timely delivery and drive delivery at pace, opening up other 5G and 6G applications, along with UK PLC innovating in this emerging future smart mobility environment.

12.0 There will, however, be a significant cost of inaction.  For example, it is estimated that by 2030 congestion will cost the UK economy over £21billion, while traffic related pollution is estimated to kill 5,000 people each year in the UK.  Digital highways can go a long way to eradicating these problems.  By improving highway maintenance local authorities will also be able to reduce the £10billion backlog in road repairs.

ACTION PLAN

13.0 An action plan needs to be developed by three core stakeholder groups, working together, to establish the right environment and motivation for the successful delivery of a digital highways investment programme.  Specifically:

• national government can help reduce the barriers to advancing digital roads within local authorities by clarifying the vison and direction of travel, leading the way with the digitisation of the strategic road network, helping to resolve financial challenges and resolving issues over standards; and as many digital local roads solutions should not be “localised” solutions, collaborative development programmes are necessary to make the investment more efficient and increase the likelihood of implementation;

• local authorities will need to develop local strategies which build on the national vision, implementing solutions that meet local needs and collaborating to improve their resilience, skills and capability and participation in and take up of digital local roads solutions; and

• industry will need to encourage providers to collaborate to efficiently implement solutions across their client base and to overcome barriers to delivery, including sharing of data.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

14.0 The transport industry faces many challenges and pressures.  But the industry is also becoming more digital and more connected.  Digital highways provide the opportunity to simultaneously address the environmental and congestion challenges and deliver a step change in road safety and highway management.

15.0 The Transport Select Committee’s inquiry provides a timely opportunity to explore these issues and help the government, local government and industry develop a clear road map for its delivery and understand the enormous benefits that can accrue.

January 2023