Junction improvements, highway upgrades and technology schemes are set to bring benefits to local road users across the country following the distribution of Government funding worth £345M.

 

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced that 76 local authority projects will receive a share of £244M, while two major improvements in Middlewich in Cheshire (an Eastern bypass of the town) and in Worcester (a Southern relief road) will receive £101M between them.

 

The 76 smaller schemes – each worth between £2M and £22M – are expected to improve access to public transport, open up routes for cyclists, address local traffic pinch points and support new housing.

 

The three largest of these projects are Lancashire County Council’s M55 Heyhouses Link Road scheme, Cheshire East’s 'North West Crewe' access project and Staffordshire County Council’s Lichfield Southern Bypass (final phase). To view a list of all 76 successful schemes click here.

 

Funding for all of these schemes comes from the National Productivity Investment Fund and the Large Local Majors Fund.

 

Civil Engineering Contractors Association director of external affairs Marie-Claude Hemming welcomed the announcement of funding to improve local roads, but warned that the UK is “sitting on a congestion time bomb” with traffic forecast to increase by over 45% to 2040.

 

“The wider use of prudential borrowing and private finance could offer a solution to under investment in the UK’s roads network,” she said.

 

Campaign for Better Transport chief executive Stephen Joseph agreed that the schemes will help to improve local areas. “But a more strategic approach is needed, and funding needs to go to programmes of sustainable transport schemes that will give people choices in how they get around,” he said.

 

“Just building roads to serve new housing and employment sites risks entrenching car dependence and adding to congestion.”

 

♦ Transport innovators must not forget rural populations as so called ‘intelligent mobility’ sweeps urban areas, taxpayer funded innovation centre the Transport Systems Catapult is urging.

 

A new report from the Catapult highlights that those living in rural areas are in danger of being left behind when it comes to the digital innovations enjoyed by cities, such as smart ticketing and ride hailing services.

 

But it says there are significant market openings for new business models and services that look to provide better transport for rural passengers.

 

(Photo: DfT)