Decisions on major road schemes in England should be made more at a local level, delegates to a Labour Party Conference fringe meeting in Brighton heard last night.

Shadow Transport Minister Yvonne Fovargue MP (pictured) said: "We support the devolution of major road schemes to local authorities and need to conduct a proper review of the Highways Agency. It is worth looking at whether local people could do more in deciding which schemes could benefit their region."

On the subject of High Speed 2, she said: "I am a big supporter of the project, but would like to see the north and the south (sections) built at same time, so that there is certainty that it will come up to the north and won't stop at Birmingham. That does worry me."

Earlier at conference, the Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said that a Labour Government would not write a blank cheque for High Speed 2. "We support the idea of a new north south rail line but, if costs continue to rise – and the value for money cannot be demonstrated, we will have to ask if this is the right priority for £50Bn pounds," she said.

At a second fringe meeting focused on cycling, Ms Fovargue made the case that all new highway schemes should be subject to a cycle safety assessment. "We have got to get into the minds of planners that roads are there for cyclists too," she said. The MP added that cycling must receive a set proportion of the roads budget and investment must be channelled towards "properly dedicated lanes and the redesign of dangerous junctions."

Photo credit: Labour

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