Ipsos MORI, the Institute of Transport Studies and George Barrett were commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) in August 2018 to complete preparatory work for a potential evaluation of the economic performance impacts of road enhancements (EPIRE). The aim of the project was to assist the Department to prepare for a potential evaluation of the local and national economic impacts of road network investments made by the DfT and Highways England.

Specifically, this involves looking at how road enhancements impact on reducing the cost (in money and time) of accessing goods and services via the road network, and how improvements to the network that allow specific parcels of land to be accessed by road that could not be previously (e.g. through provision of access roads). Only schemes involving the construction of new road links or the enhancement of an existing link were considered in the scope of the potential evaluation.

This initial scoping study concludes that new case study research will be required to develop a body of evidence that helps demonstrate the economic performance impacts of individual schemes and how and why they came about.

Source: www.gov.uk