Major UK road upgrades approved: five projects get £92 billion Government funding
Quicker journeys should help kick-start economic growth, according to the Government
The Government has announced today that 50 road and rail upgrades will be made over the next five years, thanks to a £92 billion investment from the Spending Review settlement.
According to the Government, 42,000 jobs will be supported during the upgrading process, along with the construction of 39,000 homes. The five key road improvements are set to include the M60/M62/M66 in Greater Manchester, the M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire, the A38 Derby Junction in Derbyshire, the A46 Newark Bypass in Nottinghamshire, and the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine road.
Speaking on the Government’s infrastructure plans, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With over £92 billion of investment, including the biggest ever boost for city regions in the north and Midlands, we’re delivering the schemes that fast-track economic growth and jobs, connect communities, and will help us build 1.5 million new homes, as we deliver our Plan for Change.”
The specific changes to the M60, M62 and M66 Simister Island section will be based on improving the intersection between the M60’s junction 18 and the M62 and M66 – although this is still subject to planning approval. The link road between the M54 and M6 will see a new dual carriageway between M54 junction 1 and the M6 junction 11, which is expected to cost up to £200m.
As for major A-road changes, the A46 Newark Bypass will see four miles of A46 single carriageway replaced by a dual carriageway between the Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts – again, subject to planning approval. The £250m A38 Derby Junction will get three roundabouts replaced with interchanges, and the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine road is expected to cost £1.3bn and will get a single carriageway uprated to a dual between the M6 junction 40 and the A1(M) junction 53 - plus improvements to junctions at Penrith and Scotch Corner.
Those hoping for improvements to the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) and the A47 (Wansford to Sutton) will surely be upset to hear these planned “Strategic Road Network” schemes have been cancelled. Earlier this year, the Government pledged £24 billion (or roughly £8 billion per year) for fixing and maintaining the UK’s major roads.
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