The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has published its approach to assessing the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2), setting out their intended approach to the activities they are responsible for in RIS2. The document highlights a range of issues that the Department for Transport and Highways England should consider when developing proposals for the second Road Period. The document is available here .The document also provides an explanation of how ORR will assess the plans which will be put forward by Highways England. It highlights the need for:

•A robust planning process for future Road Investment Strategies, learning lessons from RIS1.

•A comprehensive evidence base, built on analysis and strong stakeholder engagement, to ensure plans deliver for road users and represents good value for money.

•Increased transparency to allow more effective monitoring during RIS2.

Also published is an update on ORR’s work in benchmarking Highways England, which can be found here .  This analysis will help the ORR compare Highways England’s performance and determine where it may be able to improve over time.