RAC Foundation - Roads audit shows £11bn backlog being cleared

Ministers fill in £11 billion funding black hole as road scheme backlog starts to clear

On the eve of the comprehensive spending review the latest RAC Foundation audit of English road building shows that progress has been made by government in improving capacity.

In November 2011, a report for the Foundation found the Department for Transport had 96 major road schemes – at both Highway Agency and local authority level – sitting on its shelves gathering dust.

The projects had been costed but were unfunded. Combined, the value of these schemes was at least £10.7 billion. Many schemes had been assessed as delivering very high value for money.

This latest audit shows that, some eighteen months on, 33 of the original 96 schemes have now been approved.

Nine of these 33 are Highways Agency schemes for the Strategic Road Network, with work due to start before the end of 2014/15. Development work is underway on a further 6 ‘pipeline’ schemes from the list. The Government has also given the go-ahead to 24 of the 35 local authority major schemes included in the list.

The original list of 96 and their updated status is available as an addendum to the report.

Other schemes, both Highways Agency and Local Authority, not included in the original list, are also being progressed. The total cost of these 33 schemes is in the range £2.1-2.7 billion with a consequent reduction in the size of funding gap.

But worryingly the DfT no longer makes publically available benefit/cost ratios for projects before they have been rubber-stamped making it impossible to judge how value for money decisions are being made and how one proposed scheme compares with another.

This audit was carried out by John Smith, one of the authors (together with the consultancy Arup) of the original report.

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said:

“Credit where credit is due. After our 2011 report government have given the green light to a lot of important, high-profile road schemes.

“But it is a real concern that benefit/cost ratios are now only published when schemes are given the go-ahead and contracts have been signed, by which time it is too late for the public to assess the value of these projects.

“Going forward the critical thing is money. We are still to hear the results of the greatly anticipated and much delayed feasibility study into road funding, but for all the talk of tolling and road pricing if ministers really wanted to rebuild trust between government and drivers a good way to start would be to spend a bigger share of the £33 billion collected in VED and fuel duty each year on infrastructure.”

ENDS

Contact:

Philip Gomm – Head of External Communications – RAC Foundation

[email protected] | 020 7747 3445 | 07711 776448 | 020 7389 0601

Notes to editors:

The RAC Foundation is a transport policy and research organisation which explores the economic, mobility, safety and environmental issues relating to roads and their users. The Foundation publishes independent and authoritative research with which it promotes informed debate and advocates policy in the interest of the responsible motorist. The Foundation is a registered charity.

The calculation of the reduction in the size of the funding gap might understate the position for two reasons:

1) It does not include the value of the ‘pipeline’ projects. These are in the range of £1.1-1.5 billion.

2) Two of the largest schemes on the original list – the Dartford Crossing and A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton – are also being actively progressed by the DfT.

John Smith’s report is available here:

http://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables/road_programmes_england-smith-june2013.pdf

The 2011 John Smith/Arup report is available here:

http://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables/providing_and_funding_strategic_roads-arup-071111.pdf

The full list of 96 schemes from the 2011 report is printed below with updates from the current audit. Note – Schemes 1-61 are HA projects and cost data comes from the Agency. Those from 62 onwards are local authority major projects. The costs for these LA schemes were published by the DfT in late 2011:

Table 1: List of unfunded projects identified
	*Projects*	*Authority*	*Reported cost (£ million, 2010 values)*	*Funding or Development Approval given*	*Latest project Cost (£m)*	Notes
1	A1 Adderstone to Belford Dualling	Highways Agency	18
2	A1 Dishforth to Barton Improvement Scheme	Highways Agency	315	2012 Autumn Statement	292-392
3	A1 Morpeth to Felton Dualling	Highways Agency	103
4	A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton	Highways Agency	1,065
5	A14 Kettering Bypass Widening	Highways Agency	110	2011 Autumn Statement	80-107
6	A160 / A180 Improvements, Immingham	Highways Agency	108	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	89-132
7	A19 / A1067 Seaton Burn Junction Improvements	Highways Agency	72
8	A19 Testos Junction Improvements	Highways Agency	49
9	A19 / A1058 Coast Road Junction Improvement	Highways Agency	140	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	113-166
10	A19 / A189 Moor Farm Junction	Highways Agency	90
11	A21 Baldslow Junction Improvement	Highways Agency	28
12	A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Improvement	Highways Agency	97
13	A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Dualling	Highways Agency	117	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	94-127
14	A27 Chichester Improvement	Highways Agency	85
15	A30 Carland Cross to Chiverton Cross	Highways Agency	149
16	A30 Temple to Higher Carblake Improvement	Highways Agency	59	2012 Autumn Statement	60
17	A303 Stonehenge Improvement	Highways Agency	534
18	A38 Derby Junctions	Highways Agency	168
19	A45 / A46 Tollbar End Improvement	Highways Agency	116	2011 Autumn Statement	109-150
20	A453 Widening (M1 Junction 24 to A52 Nottingham)	Highways Agency	153	2011 Autumn Statement	150
21	A120 Braintree to Marks Tey	Highways Agency	525
22	A21 South Pembury to Hastings Route Improvements	Highways Agency	Unknown
23	A303 / A358 South Petherton to M5 Taunton	Highways Agency	421
24	A417 Cowley to Brockworth Bypass Improvement	Highways Agency	66
25	A47 Blofield to North Burlingham	Highways Agency	26
26	A483 Pant to Llanymynech Bypass	Highways Agency	60
27	A49 Hereford to Ross on Wye Accident Prevention Scheme	Highways Agency	Unknown
28	A50 / A500 Queensway Interchange Bridges – Remedial Paint Works	Highways Agency	Unknown
29	A57 / A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle Bypass	Highways Agency	116
30	A585 Norcross Junction Improvement	Highways Agency	2
31	A629 Cononley Crossroads Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
32	A63 Osgodby Bypass	Highways Agency	6
33	A64 Rillington Bypass	Highways Agency	8
34	A64 York to Scarborough Proposed Dualling	Highways Agency	674
35	A66 Appleby to Brough	Highways Agency	Unknown
36	A66 Dualling Bowes Bypass	Highways Agency	Unknown
37	A66 Dualling Cross Lanes to Greta Bridge	Highways Agency	Unknown
38	A66 Dualling Stephen Bank to Carkin Moor	Highways Agency	Unknown
39	A66 Penrith to Temple Sowerby	Highways Agency	Unknown
40	A66 Temple Sowerby to Appleby	Highways Agency	Unknown
41	A5 to M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass)	Highways Agency	146	2012 Autumn Statement	134-189
42	A63 Castle Street Improvement	Highways Agency	151	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	129-192
43	M1 Jct 19 Improvement Scheme	Highways Agency	213	2011 Autumn Statement	185-273
44	M1 J34 North to J37 Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
45	M1 J37 to J39 Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
46	M1 Jct 30 to Jct 31 Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
47	M1 Jct 31 to Jct 32 Northbound Collector / Distributor	Highways Agency	Unknown
48	M1 Jct 32 to Jct 34 South Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
49	M1 Junctions 21 to 25 Improvements	Highways Agency	299
50	M11 and A120 Stansted Generation 2 Airport Access	Highways Agency	140
51	M20 Junction 10A	Highways Agency	52
52	M25 J30 / A13 Congestion Relief Scheme	Highways Agency	500	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	150	Also included in 2012 National Infrastructure Plan – with work scheduled to start in 2015
53	M3 J2-4a Managed Motorway	Highways Agency	236	2011 Autumn Statement	148-230
54	M4 J3-12 Managed Motorway Scheme	Highways Agency	725	Development (‘Pipeline’) Approval 2012	525-720
55	M54 to M6 / M6 Toll Link Road	Highways Agency	205
56	M6 Junction 10A to 13 Managed Motorway	Highways Agency	168	2011 Autumn Statement	140-201
57	M6 Junction 13 to 19 Managed Motorway	Highways Agency	Unknown
58	M60 Junction 12 Eccles Interchange	Highways Agency	Unknown
59	M62 J25 to J27 Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
60	M62 J27 to J28 Improvement	Highways Agency	Unknown
61	Additional capacity at Dartford	Highways Agency	1,000
62	Waverley Link Road	Local Authority	10
63	Beverley Integrated Transport Plan	Local Authority	37
64	A684 Bedale-Aiskew-Leeming Bar Bypass	Local Authority	34	Dec. 2011 Announcement	42.1
65	Norwich Northern Distributor Road	Local Authority	127	Dec. 2011 Announcement	111.1
66	Loughborough Town Centre Transport Scheme	Local Authority	17
67	Nottingham Ring Road	Local Authority	35	Dec. 2011 Announcement	16.2
68	Weston Super Mare Package	Local Authority	14	Dec. 2011 Announcement	15
69	A6182 White Rose Way Improvement Scheme	Local Authority	28	2011 National Infrastructure Plan (NIP)	9.7
70	Crewe Green Link Southern Section	Local Authority	30	2011 NIP	26.5
71	Sunderland Strategic Corridor	Local Authority	99	Dec. 2011 Announcement	117.8
72	A18 to A180 Link	Local Authority	8	2011 NIP	6.3
73	Bexhill to Hastings Link Road	Local Authority	115	Go-ahead given April 2013	92
74	A509 Isham Bypass	Local Authority	21
75	Watford Junction Interchange	Local Authority	93
76	A43 Corby Link Road	Local Authority	45	2011 NIP	34.9
77	A1056 Northern Gateway	Local Authority	13
78	Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme	Local Authority	27	Dec. 2011 Announcement	23.9
79	Sunderland Central Route	Local Authority	25
80	Darlaston Strategic Development Area scheme	Local Authority	30	Dec. 2011 Announcement	25.9
81	Camborne-Pool-Redruth Transport Package	Local Authority	47	Dec. 2011 Announcement	26.8
82	A24 Ashington to Southwater	Local Authority	2
83	A164 Humber Bridge to Beverley improvements	Local Authority	13	2011 NIP	10
84	Northern Road Bridge	Local Authority	21	2011 NIP	12.7
85	Kingskerswell Bypass	Local Authority	110	2011 NIP	109.2
86	South Bristol Link Phases 1 & 2	Local Authority	47	2011 NIP	41.6
87	Worcester Integrated Transport Strategy	Local Authority	46	Dec. 2011 Announcement	19.6
88	Chester Road	Local Authority	17	Dec. 2011 Announcement	10.5
89	Lincoln Eastern Bypass	Local Authority	130	2011 NIP	89.7
90	Morpeth Northern Bypass	Local Authority	43	Dec. 2011 Announcement	30.1
91	Stafford Western Access Improvements	Local Authority	39
92	A338 Bournemouth Spur Road maintenance	Local Authority	21
93	Evesham Bridge Maintenance	Local Authority	14	2011 NIP	12.6
94	A45 Westbound Bridge	Local Authority	13	2011 NIP	12.1
95	A38(M) Tame Viaduct	Local Authority	31
96	Leeds Inner Ring Road	Local Authority	43	Dec. 2011 Announcement	25

Roads audit shows £11bn backlog being cleared24 Jun 2013

Ministers fill in £11 billion funding black hole as road scheme backlog starts to clear