Over 9,500 construction jobs will be supported in 2014 by more than £1.9 billion of investment in Britain’s roads, Transport Minister Robert Goodwill announced today.
And in the East Midlands, 17 road improvement schemes will reduce congestion and open new routes bringing a £2.8 billion benefit to the wider economy and supporting 1,700 construction jobs.
The total investment in 209 schemes across Britain is £4.3 billion, £1.9 billion of which will be spent in 2014 alone – more than twice the amount spent in 2013.
These include
- A scheme to reduce congestion at the junction of the M1 junction 24 and the A50 in Leicestershire, which involves the construction of a new carriageway to take traffic travelling south from the A50 to the M1 towards the M1 Junction 23a.
- The M1 Bridge to Growth project being undertaken by Leicestershire County Council to build a bridge over the M1 to link the local highway network with the new Lubbesthorpe Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE).
- The ongoing Northamptonshire County Council scheme to enable development in the 104-hectare Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone by increasing the capacity of the congested southern Inner Ring Road and by improving site access to enhance the marketability of the site.
- The Highways Agency’s construction of a Smart Motorway between M1 junction 28 and 31 in Derbyshire; and
- Nottingham City Council’s ongoing work to enhance capacity at key points along Nottingham Ring Road.
These and other road programmes across the country – which will either start or be completed in 2014 – are estimated to boost the economy by over £18.8 billion and are part of a £100 billion package of investment in Britain’s infrastructure over the next seven years; the largest programme of investment since the 1970s.
The roads programme is just one part the government’s drive to prioritise investment in projects that provide an economic boost, and will help create a high-performance road network that can cope with the expected 43% increase in traffic by 2040.
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said: “Roads are the lifeblood that keeps our economy going – they create jobs and help get products to markets. This government is committed to delivering the modern infrastructure we need to compete in the global race, investing across the board to cut congestion and reduce journey times in roads, rail and local transport.
“We are already seeing massive improvements being made to our major roads and motorways. In 2014 the public will see even greater improvements right across the country.”
Over half of the 209 schemes are due for completion next year. This will be followed in 2015 by an even larger programme of improvement and investment on our major roads, with spending rising to £3bn a year by 2020.
The government’s £28bn commitment as part of the 2013 Spending Review will deliver massive extra capacity to our busiest motorways, along with 52 major road projects funded and delivered between this parliament and 2020/21.
Source: Department for Transport
