GovWire

English regions to benefit from transport investment worth £3 billion

Department for Transport

November 28
13:44 2016

Towns and cities across the country are set to benefit from 3 billion worth of investment on improving roads in a boost for motorists.

This investment will lead to quicker and safer journeys and help to build a stronger economy by linking people with jobs, businesses with customers, ensuring a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling visited Cambridgeshire today (28 November 2016) to witness the start of the 1.5 billion A14 upgrade. The new 21-mile road between Huntingdon and Cambridge will cut congestion, and improve journey times for tens of thousands of motorists who use the road every day.

Chris Grayling also outlined details of more than 1.3 billion of road improvements announced as part of the Autumn Statement. This includes:

  • 925 million to tackle congestion and provide upgrades on local roads
  • 175 million to improve the 50 most dangerous roads in the country
  • 220 million to Highways England to combat congestion
  • 27 million for the Cambridge to Oxford expressway
  • 6 local major schemes to better journeys

In addition, the Transport Secretary today:

  • awarded 50 million to build the Lincoln Eastern Bypass
  • announced development of 6 further local major schemes
  • allocated 70 million for 2017 to 2018 to fix potholes

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

This is a government that steps up, not back which is why we are investing record amounts into improving our roads across the country. This investment is over and above the 23 billion we are spending to get motorists to their destinations quickly, more easily and safely.

The schemes announced today are focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future - removing the barriers to help make an economy that works for everyone.

The A14 is the 33rd major scheme that the government has started since 2010. During that time more than 4 billion of schemes have been completed and are already providing drivers with better journeys.

Chris Grayling added:

The A14 is a vital road for Cambridgeshire and for the rest of the country, helping link people and businesses to jobs, opportunities and families. This new upgrade will see quicker journeys, which will also be more reliable and safe.

English regions to benefit from transport investment worth 3 billion

As part of the 1.3 billion fund, the government is providing 925 million which highways authorities can bid for to upgrade and repair their roads. This is on top of the 6 billion councils are receiving up to 2021. This is an increase on the 4.7 billion spent between 2010 and 2015 and almost double the 3.7 million spent between 2005 and 2010.

A further 70 million from the Pothole Fund will be allocated next year. This will allow highway authorities to start repairs quickly.

Britain has some of the safest roads in the world, but the government is investing a further 175 million to make them even safer. The Department for Transport will work with councils to improve the 50 roads with the worst safety record, which includes the A588 in Lancashire, the A529 in Shropshire and the A18 in Lincolnshire. This is on top of the 1 million pledged this month to improve the A285 in West Sussex.

The Department for Transport today also published 5 strategic studies into the most complex issues on our road network:

  • the A66 will be upgraded to create a new east to west dual carriageway, meaning a quicker link between Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire and Penrith, Cumbria
    • the department is enhancing junctions on the A69 to create 18 miles of dual carriageway between Newcastle and Hexham, to be complete by 2020
    • the A69 is a major part of Highways Englands 220 million to combat congestion at pinch points on motorways and major A roads
  • improvements to the north-west quadrant of the M60, between junctions 8 to 18 - the A6144 to Liverpool and M66 to Accrington - will continue to be developed
  • during the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced 27 million to develop the Cambridge to Oxford expressway, which includes a new road between the M1 and the M40
  • the government will continue to examine the case for the A1 in the East of England and improving connectivity between Manchester and Sheffield

In addition to the 6 major schemes in the Autumn Statement which will help unlock economic and housing growth, Chris Grayling today revealed a further 6 schemes which will have financial backing from the Department for Transport to develop a business case. These are:

  • a new Tees crossing
  • dualling the A500 in Cheshire
  • Coventry South Link Road
  • Melton Mowbray Eastern Distributor road
  • Sheffield Innovation Corridor
  • Manchester Metrolink Airport link

The 6 other local major schemes announced last Wednesday were:

  • Tees Valley east-west connections
  • East Riding: Jocks Lodge Junction (A1079/A164)
  • Sheffield Supertram renewals
  • Shrewsbury North West Relief Road
  • Warrington Waterfront Western Link
  • Suffolk Energy Gateway New Road

The Transport Secretary also confirmed 50 million to build the Lincoln Eastern Bypass. The 96.4 million scheme will now start in January and be completed by December 2019.

In the coming months, the government will announce more local major transport schemes that are expected to be funded from the 1.8 billion Local Growth Fund allocations announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement.

North East funding

Upgrades to the Hexham and Corbridge junctions on the A69 as part of the 220 million pinch point fund which should be complete by 2020.

We are committing to further develop plans to dual the A66 from Scotch Corner to Penrith, creating the first new all-dual-carriageway route across the Pennines since the opening of the M62 in 1971. We are hoping to start construction as part of the next RIS.

Investing 450,000 to progress further business case work on a New Tees Crossing to boost access to Enterprise Zones and ease congestion on the existing A19 crossing.

Investing 300,000 for further business case development work on the Tees Valley East West Connections which is improved connection between the A1 (M) and the A66 to the North West of Darlington to improve connectivity from A1 corridor across Tees Valley.

Allocating 3.9 million to the North East enough to fix around 74,000 potholes in 2017 to 2018 or stop them forming in the first place. This funding is over and above 45 million we are already committed to providing in 2017 to 2018 to help repair our local highways.

From the 175 million being made available for road safety, we will be upgrading 2 of most dangerous local roads in the North East where the risk of fatal and serious collisions is highest.

North East potholes breakdown

Local Highway Authority Pothole Fund allocation () Potholes filled (at 53 per pothole) Highways Maintenance Block allocation for 2017/18 ()
County Durham UA 931,000 17,600 10,567,000
Darlington UA 133,000 2,500 1,545,000
Hartlepool UA 98,000 1,900 1,053,000
Middlesbrough UA 106,000 2,000 1,628,000
Northumberland UA 1,328,000 25,100 15,507,000
Redcar and Cleveland UA 177,000 3,300 1,879,000
Stockton-on-Tees UA 194,000 3,700 2,293,000
Gateshead 201,000 3,800 2,435,000
Newcastle upon Tyne 213,000 4,000 2,413,000
North Tyneside 191,000 3,600 2,007,000
South Tyneside 132,000 2,500 1,377,000
Sunderland 260,000 4,900 2,939,000

North East dangerous roads breakdown

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