Thomas Bridge 01 December 2014

Government unveils £15bn road investment plan

A £15bn road investment plan unveiled today will see a 1.8mile road tunnel built under Stonehenge, among a raft of schemes designed to raise capacity.

The Government this morning unveiled plans to fund over 100 road schemes, 84 of which are new projects. Alongside the £2bn investment in the South West, plans were put in place to ‘drive forward’ creation of a Northern Powerhouse with connectivity improvements between Manchester and Sheffield and a ‘smart motorway’ along the M62 between Manchester and Leeds.

Long-anticipated to be a central plank of this week’s Autumn Statement, the spending plan for England’s roads will include adding £10bn to a previously announced £15bn of maintenance funding for the local and national network.

The entire A303 and A358 to the South West will be converted into a dual carriageway, while £290m will be allocated to complete dualling of the A1 from London to Ellingham 25miles from the Scottish border.

Some £300m will be invested to upgrade connectivity between London and the east of England, while a third on junctions on the M25 will also see improvement.

Chancellor George Osborne, said: ‘Our plans will transform some of the country’s most important strategic routes, with ambitious projects to dual the A303, A1, A27 and the A47 as well as spending on important local infrastructure boosting productivity and helping local economies.

‘For years our roads have been neglected. Now that this government is fixing the economy, we can afford to invest properly in our roads – unlocking jobs for the future and local growth by creating a road network that is fit for the 21st century.’

However Labour’s shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher blasted the plan as ‘yet another re-announcement on promised road improvements’ with ‘no additional money’.

‘The Tory-led Government’s record on road investment has been one of cutting investment, then promising to restore it after 2015, cancelling road schemes such as the A14 and then reinstating them, and constantly failing to meet deadlines for the completion of improvements.

‘And local roads have been completely ignored under this Government. Maintenance investment in local roads has declined by 11% in real terms from 2010 to 2014. And local authority budgets, which provide funding for roads maintenance, have been slashed by a third. They are pretending to give with one hand, having taken away so much with the other.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Transport and Major Work Manager

Slough Borough Council
£54,556 to £60,085 per year Inclusive of Local Weighting Allowance of £1096
Drive the future of transport and infrastructure in Slough Slough, Berkshire
Recuriter: Slough Borough Council

Service Director - Environment

City Of Doncaster Council
£108,164 per annum
We are looking for an energetic and resilient leader to become our next Service Director of Environment here at City of Doncaster. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recuriter: City Of Doncaster Council

Environmental Health Officer – Food, Health & Safety & Animal Licensing

Ashfield District Council
£39,152 – £41,771 per annum plus £2,000 Market Supplement (Pay award pending)
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to carry out the full range of day-to-day functions and duties of an Environmental Health Officer Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Ashfield District Council

Assertive Outreach Officer

Ashfield District Council
£28,598 - £31,022 per annum (pay award pending)
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Housing Options Team as an Assertive Outreach Officer Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Ashfield District Council

Graduate EHO– Commercial and Environmental Protection

Ashfield District Council
£28,598 - £31,022
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to carry out the full range of day-to-day functions and duties Environmental Health Officer Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Ashfield District Council
Linkedin Banner