United Kingdom announces details of more than £1.3 billion of road improvements
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced that the government is investing record amounts into improving roads across the United Kingdom, and that the schemes are focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure roads are fit for the future.
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, and a further £70 million allocated next year from the Pothole Fund.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outlined the road improvements included:
- £925 million to tackle congestion and provide upgrades on local roads
- £175m to improve the 50 most dangerous roads in the country
- £220m to Highways England to combat congestion
- £27m for the Cambridge to Oxford expressway
- Six local major schemes to better journeys.
In addition, Mr Grayling made further announcements:
- Awarded £50m to build the Lincoln Eastern Bypass
- Announced development of six further local major schemes
- Allocated £70m for 2017 to 2018 to fix potholes.
Mr Grayling also revealed a further six 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 six other local major schemes announced last Wednesday were:
- Tees Valley east-west connections
- East Riding: Jock’s 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 and complete by December 2019.
