Assessing National Highways' regional and safety performance

Stephen Bussell and Prentiss Clarke-Jones discuss our recent analysis of National Highways' regional performance during the second road period, and also our annual assessment of safety on the strategic road network.

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Saj Chowdhury

Hello, I’m Saj Chowdhury and welcome to this edition of the Rail and Road Pod. Now, how well is England's strategic road network really performing and where can it improve? From efficiency and value for money to safety outcomes for road users, robust independent assessment of National Highways is crucial for driving better outcomes for all. So, in this episode, we'll be taking a closer look at two of ORR's latest reports.

You'll hear from two members of our highways team, Stephen Bussell, who will unpack the findings for our regional benchmarking of National Highways performance and efficiency, and Prentiss Clarke‑Jones, who'll talk us through the key insights from the latest annual assessment of safety performance on the strategic road network. But before we get into those conversations, here's a reminder that if you want to keep up to date with all the latest from ORR, you can head to orr.gov.uk. Now back to this episode.

Here's Stephen Bussell explaining the key findings from the latest regional benchmarking report.

Saj Chowdhury:
Hey, Steve, you're all right. Thanks for joining the Rail and Road Pod today.

Stephen Bussell

Hi, Saj.

Saj Chowdhury

Hi. I guess I'll just start by asking if you could explain the purpose of this report and what it actually assessed.

Stephen Bussell

So we hold National Highways to account for its performance across a range of indicators, including targeted key performance indicators in areas like safety, fast and reliable journeys, the environment. But this report looks at performance in those areas at a regional level. So National Highways is divided into six different regions across England and we use this report to compare the performance of those regions.

So it's a benchmarking series that we've maintained for some time. So it's been going since 2016. But gradually we've been increasing the scope of the indicators that are included. So in this latest report, we've got around 25 indicators, different performance indicators across a range of themes, and we're looking at how regional performance varies across those regions during the second road period.

So that's the five‑year period from 2020–21 to 2024–25.

Saj Chowdhury

Okay, so it's quite a thorough piece of work, judging by the number of indicators that you now have. But regarding that regional perspective, what does it reveal that, say, national figures alone might miss?

Stephen Bussell

Yeah, I mean, I mean, look, we do regional benchmarking just because it incentivises the company to deliver a kind of reasonably consistent level of performance across the country. So we wouldn't, even if the company is sort of performing well at a national level on any given indicator, we wouldn't want to see any region of the network fall behind.

So it's really good to kind of just keep track of performance across each region. And I guess the other thing is, you know, when you see the data at a national level, it's not maybe immediately apparent why a given trend is happening. So if we look at a regional level, sometimes that reveals different things.

So, for example, recently we've seen user satisfaction across the network decline. So users have been reporting lower levels of satisfaction. And again, it's not immediately apparent why that should be the case. When we look at some of the regional data and some of the trends at a regional level, you can kind of start to see some patterns.

So one of the things we've really noticed is that certain regions have experienced an increase in delays higher than other regions, and a lot of that has been driven by higher levels of roadworks. So what we can see is that some of the patterns in user satisfaction ultimately derive back from delays and roadworks on the network.

Saj Chowdhury

Yeah, so I guess it's good to understand not every region has that issue or an issue to that extent. So again, in that case, actually, you know, we see the value of this report. One thing, delays, which may also prompt the size of user satisfaction, they seem to have risen across all regions.

Now, how does benchmarking help ORR understand whether this reflects wider pressures on the network or differences in how regions are managing performance?

Stephen Bussell

Yeah, so delays have been increasing across the network, but they've not necessarily been increasing at the same rate. And I think that's where the regional benchmarking report comes in. So what we've seen is that since the pandemic, traffic levels have been increasing and delays have been increasing as a result. So that's the sort of overarching picture and that's kind of what we would expect.

But crucially, delays have been increasing at a faster rate than the increase in traffic would suggest. So delays are now higher than pre‑pandemic levels, whereas traffic levels are broadly similar. And what we can see in this report is that some regions have suffered a larger increase in delay than others. So it's notable that particularly the Southeast and the Midlands, delays have increased at a faster rate.

So, for example, in the Southeast, at the start of the second road period, delays were 8 seconds per vehicle mile and they've now gone up to 14 seconds. That's a 75% increase in delay. So that's kind of something that's really significant. And I guess what we can see is that, yes, traffic levels are clearly influencing delays, but the Southeast has also been disproportionately affected by roadworks, including some of the roadworks associated with National Highways programme of safety improvements on smart motorways.

Now, it's not to say that those improvements are not needed and that those roadworks are not necessary, but I think what it really highlights is that roadworks influencing delays, which in turn is affecting user satisfaction.

Saj Chowdhury

Steve, thanks for the explanation. And you highlight safety on a different basis because it's like regarding safety outcomes now, they seem to have improved in most regions, but not consistently. So how does this regional comparison support ORR's role in challenging performance where, I guess, progress is uneven?

Stephen Bussell

Yeah. So I think, you know, the picture generally in recent years is that casualty levels have been falling and the rate of casualties has been falling, but at a much slower rate than we've seen in the past. So it seems to be more challenging in recent years to reduce casualties.

The reason why we look at this at a regional level is ultimately if National Highways is going to improve safety outcomes, it requires targeted interventions at a local level to improve safety and address those locations on the network where there have been clusters of collisions and casualties in the past.

So it's really important for each of the regions to keep track of safety outcomes. And we want to see that the company is looking for those opportunities to deliver targeted interventions so that, you know, we see safety outcomes improving across the country, but also in each of the six regions.

Saj Chowdhury

I think you've sort of basically summed up an incentive like benchmarking itself. And the report itself is about transparency and evidence. So how does publishing this data help government and stakeholders and road users see how the network is really performing?

Stephen Bussell

Yeah, so I mean, as I said, we ultimately hold the company to account for its performance at a national level and clearly that's the right thing to do. If we just look at those high‑level indicators, then sometimes we can miss some of the things that are happening at a regional level. So it's a big network and we don't want any particular area of the network to be left behind.

Making this data transparent, publishing this data, encouraging National Highways to look at those regional trends and address issues where they arise, I think that's really important. So it's about incentivising performance. It's also about really understanding what's driving performance trends at a national level.

Saj Chowdhury

Yeah, and I guess that partly answers the final question that I had: what is the single most important message this report sends?

Stephen Bussell

Yeah, I think that the key message for me is that the way National Highways operates and maintains the network really matters for outcomes. So we can see a real clear linkage in this report between the effect of roadworks on delays on the network and the effect of delays on user satisfaction.

And sometimes I think there's a tendency in the road sector to just accept that congestion will happen because there's a lot of traffic on the network and it's difficult to manage that level of traffic demand. But what this shows is that there are factors that are within National Highways' control.

As we go forward into the next road period, we expect the company will be delivering more renewals on the network. So lots of its assets are kind of reaching the age where they need to be repaired or replaced. So renewals activity is increasing. Now, clearly that on occasion will require roadworks and that will have a disruptive effect.

And the point of this report is not to suggest otherwise, but what it does show is that the company really needs to consider how it can minimise disruption and, where disruption will take place, how it's communicating with its users about those upcoming roadworks and the reasons for those. That'll be really important in shaping how users perceive the network as we go forward.

Saj Chowdhury

That's great, Steve, thank you very much and thank you for joining us on the Rail and Road Pod. Thank you.

Stephen Bussell
No problem.

Saj Chowdhury

Hi, Prentiss, thanks for joining the Rail and Road Pod. Now, let's get straight into it. So for people who have not read the report, what is our annual safety assessment and what factors does ORR look at?

Prentiss Clarke‑Jones

So, our annual safety report brings together the latest road casualty data and it's our analysis of National Highways' work to improve safety. And it's how we report on our work to hold the company to account for its safety target, which is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured by 50% on the roads that it operates, which is the Strategic Road Network, or the SRN.

So we report on the number of people harmed on the SRN, the longer‑term trends in safety, how these trends are affected by traffic levels and whether National Highways is on track to meet its target. We do take a pragmatic approach because not everything that affects road safety is within the company's direct control.

So we look closely at what it's delivering during the year, such as safety schemes, communication campaigns and how it's working with others across the sector to improve road safety.

Saj Chowdhury

The main takeaway from the report is that safety improvements have levelled out. So what are the driving forces behind that?

Prentiss Clarke‑Jones

Yeah, you're absolutely right. The report does show that the longer‑term reduction in the number of casualties on the SRN has levelled off or stalled, especially post‑Covid, which of course is a concern. The Department for Transport has also recognised this in its recently published road safety strategy. And importantly, there isn't a single cause.

Traffic levels are now above pre‑pandemic levels and are estimated to continue to rise. So in 2024, the number of people killed or seriously injured increased by 1% compared to the previous year and traffic also increased the same amount. So as a result, the overall level of risk per mile travelled remains unchanged.

National Highways does continue to work hard to improve safety on the SRN, but over time it will become more difficult to rely on road engineering solutions alone to improve safety. So that's why we think it's important that the company uses its position within the sector to influence areas where it has less control, such as driver behaviour and training standards.

I think this is why it's our role to continue to scrutinise what National Highways delivers and monitor the effectiveness of its interventions.

Saj Chowdhury

Now, it's got obviously a key performance indicator as well of an important safety one — is the company likely to meet its target?

Prentiss Clarke‑Jones

Based on the current trends, it's very unlikely that the target will be met. We will know when the 2025 casualty figures are published in September 2026. There has been significant longer‑term progress. So the number of people killed or seriously injured is down by 38% compared to the baseline, which is reflective of the important work National Highways does, but it does still leave a gap to the 50% target.

So in 2024 we highlighted that National Highways was off course and needed to prepare a credible plan to set out that gap. So we're continuing to hold National Highways to account for delivering these actions alongside its day‑to‑day work. So while the target is unlikely to be reached, the actions that National Highways is taking demonstrate to us that it is working hard to improve safety on the SRN.

Saj Chowdhury

Thanks for that, Prentiss. Now you've explained what ORR has done as a result of National Highways not likely to meet its target. What will our approach be during the next road period, at Road Period Three?

Prentiss Clarke‑Jones

Yeah, so you're right. During road period two and the interim period that's ending in March, our role very much has been to provide that independent scrutiny and challenge. We've been clear on when performance isn't on track and we've required National Highways to set out stronger plans for how it will deliver safety improvements.

So we're increasing our focus on understanding what drives performance, what delivery constraints are facing the company and whether safety interventions are being prioritised effectively. So, in Road Period Three, we'll also look at how National Highways may use leading safety indicators, such as those set out in the road safety strategy, to help it identify and anticipate collisions before they occur.

We'll also look at how safety is being prioritised in decision‑making. So, in simple terms, are the right things being delivered and are they delivered quickly enough to make a difference? So the key message from the report is that the strategic road network remains one of the safest in the world. But progress has slowed and the focus is now on improving safety through effective interventions and influence.

Saj Chowdhury

That's brilliant. Thank you, Prentiss, for going over that and thank you for joining the Rail and Road Pod. Thank you.

Prentiss Clarke‑Jones

Well, thanks for having me.

Saj Chowdhury

Thank you to Stephen Bussell and Prentiss Clarke‑Jones for sharing their insights into the performance, efficiency and safety of England's strategic road network. Now, remember, you can find out more about our work across rail and road by visiting orr.gov.uk, and of course, you can follow us on our social channels, including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and why not check out our Instagram too?

Thank you for listening.