Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she had made of the adequacy of the benefits of the legal structure of National Highways.

In May 2016 the Department for Transport (DfT) commissioned Ipsos MORI and Risk Solutions to undertake an evaluation of the Roads Reform programme, which included the establishment of what is now National Highways, to inform future Road Investment Strategies and other policy decisions relating to the strategic road network. Ipsos MORI published a third evaluation report in 2022, following two earlier evaluation reports in 2017 and 2019. All three reports are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-roads-reform

The reports evaluated the extent to which the reforms have contributed, as intended, to a better experience for road users and better value for money for taxpayers. A fourth evaluation report has been commissioned and is due to be published this year.

The performance of National Highways is reviewed regularly, including by the Office of Rail and Road that published an annual assessment of the second road period (2020-2025), available here https://www.orr.gov.uk/annual-assessment-national-highways-performance-end-second-road-period-april-2020-march-2025

In July 2025 the Department for Transport laid in Parliament its annual report covering National Highways’ performance during 2024/25, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-highways-performance-report-2024-to-2025