BOOST: Funding for regional roads
Congested local roads and key points in the strategic road network are set to benefit from government funding, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.
Around £49million from the Local Pinch Point Fund will be put aside for 25 congestion-busting local road schemes, with nearly £111million confirmed for the M6-Heysham link road.
Projects to improve the M55 J1, A1, and M62 J19 have also been confirmed.
Mr McLoughlin, said: “Whether it’s unblocking bottlenecks on local roads, improving trouble spots on our motorways and trunk roads, or working to deliver better railways through electrification, these projects will benefit communities up and down the country and help keep Britain moving.
“By investing in our local and regional transport infrastructure we can help support new jobs and boost our overall competitiveness in the global economic race.”
Many of the 25 new local pinch point schemes are expected to be delivered in 2014 and 2015.
Areas to benefit include Birmingham, Blackpool, Bracknell Forest, Cheshire, Cornwall, Coventry, Cumbria, Darlington, East Riding, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle, Lincolnshire, Somerset, Northamptonshire, Oldham, Oxfordshire, Salford, Southend-on-Sea, Stockport, Warwickshire and Wolverhampton.
Meanwhile, the Heysham Link Road will complete the connection from the M6 at Junction 34 to the Morecambe Bypass.
Other schemes provided funding include a new junction on the M55 near Bartle, Preston, extension of the £64million A1 Lobley Hill to Dunston improvement scheme and improvements to the M62 J19 near Rochdale.
Image courtesy of Documentally, with thanks.
