Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Road Investment Strategy 3: Reducing Danger

Thursday 11 June 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Safety is at the heart of the third road investment strategy, including targeted safety improvements on higher-risk roads.
  • The strategy sets a target for National Highways to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on motorways and major roads.
  • The 7.5% reduction target for motorways and major roads by 2031 is based on the current safety standing of motorways carrying over a fifth of all road traffic.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Siân Berry Green Brighton Pavilion
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the third road investment strategy's impact on reducing road danger.

Question

What steps she is taking to reduce road danger through the third road investment strategy. She noted that the strategy focuses on safety but wants specific actions and commitments.

Answer from Simon Lightwood

Safety is at the heart of the third road investment strategy, which includes a new national programme to deliver targeted safety improvements on higher-risk roads. It also sets National Highways a challenging target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our motorways and major A roads, aligning with our overall target of reducing the number of KSIs on British roads by 65% by 2035.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps and actions to reduce road danger were not detailed. The answer provided a general statement about safety but did not outline specific measures or commitments.

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Q2 Siân Berry Green Brighton Pavilion
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the third road investment strategy's target for reducing road danger, noting that it does not align with the wider national goal of reducing KSIs.

Question

The Secretary of State's new third road investment strategy requires a reduction of only 7.5% in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the strategic road network by 2031, yet meeting the 2035 target in the road safety strategy requires a reduction of about 55% across England's roads by that date. That means National Highways can get away with doing almost nothing, while local authorities are left to make up the difference. How can the Minister justify handing £27 billion to this failing body, while councils across the country are crying out for funds to make everyday walking and cycling safer?

Answer from Simon Lightwood

Motorways are already among the safest roads in the country. The number of KSIs on motorways in 2024 represented 3% of the total for England, despite motorways carrying over a fifth of all road traffic. The target reflects that. The approach is challenging but realistic, focused on what National Highways can directly deliver over this period. Of course, that sits alongside wider action in the road safety strategy to dramatically reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries across all roads in Great Britain.

Not addressed: The MP's concern about the disparity between local authority needs and National Highways' funding was not directly addressed. The answer shifted focus to the safety of motorways without acknowledging the broader issue raised.

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