Roads
Roads and highways are vital to the Midlands’ social and economic success. We rely on them every day—to get to school, to go shopping, see a doctor and visit family. Businesses rely on them to access suppliers and deliver goods to customers, keeping food on the shelves, medicine in our pharmacies and delivering parcels directly to our doors.
Some of our road infrastructure is working at full capacity and if we want to reduce congestion and grow the economy, we need to free up additional space and make sure our road network is up for the challenge.
Midlands Connect will never recommend a project for funding unless we believe the benefits outweigh the costs. We examine the economic and social impact of delivering road schemes, prioritising the most urgent and beneficial improvements to the region. We continue to work alongside our partners and Government to secure funding for the development and implementation of each road project we recommend.
Road Investment Strategy (RIS)
The Road Investment Strategy (RIS) invests in England’s strategic road network (SRN), with phases of delivery in 5-year increments. RIS 2 sets out investment from 2020-2025, with RIS 3 taking place from 2025 to 2030.
Read more about the Road Investment Strategy
Read our RIS 3 Recommendations
The Major Road Network and Large Local Majors
In 2019, Midlands Connect was empowered by Government to work alongside partners to shortlist and submit priority schemes for development and delivery on the Major Road Network (MRN), for delivery by 2025.
Read more about the major road network and large local majors project
Corridors
Midlands Connect is also working to bring forward improvements on five strategic trade and logistics corridors. Each of these routes serves a local, national and international purpose, linking major businesses to suppliers, customers, ports and airports.
Given that these already busy routes are likely to see further population growth due to planned new housing, and given the need to decarbonise our transport network, Midlands Connect is developing holistic improvement plans which will benefit all road users — whether they be logistics operators, commuters, pedestrians, cyclists or public transport users.