AXA Retail has welcomed the UK Government’s commitment to invest £24 billion in England’s roads, announced as part of the 2025 Spending Review.
The funding, set to be allocated between 2026 and 2030, is aimed at improving both motorway and local road infrastructure, with the objective of reducing congestion, enhancing journey reliability and supporting economic growth. Funding will be distributed between National Highways and local authorities and is intended to cover upgrades such as resurfacing, improved junctions, signage, lighting and bridge repairs.
The initiative is designed to reduce congestion and enhance journey reliability. Ministers have positioned it as a shift from reactive road repairs, such as pothole patching, to longer-term infrastructure management. The RAC described the plan as an opportunity for local authorities to take a more sustainable approach to road maintenance, though some observers have noted that the overall funding may represent a real-terms reduction compared to previous spending plans.
AXA Retail CEO Alain Zweibrucker said the investment has the potential to reduce insurance claims by improving road conditions. However, he added that infrastructure upgrades should be matched by efforts to improve safety, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, and in areas near schools. He also urged the Government to publish a road safety strategy, as previously pledged.
AXA has launched a Safer Driving initiative aimed at raising awareness of road safety among families. The programme engages primary school children through educational materials designed to prompt discussions about driving behaviour at home.
The initiative follows research by AXA Retail involving 2,000 UK motorists. The findings indicated that 44% of drivers admitted to speeding, 19% reported using a mobile phone while driving, and 7% said they had driven through a zebra crossing while people were waiting to cross. Ten per cent (10%) acknowledged not wearing a seatbelt, and one in 20 said they had not checked whether children in the car were wearing seatbelts.
AXA said the results point to a need for continued public education on road safety, and that involving younger generations could support long-term behavioural change. While the company supports the Government’s investment in transport infrastructure, it maintains that road safety must remain a central consideration in future transport planning.
