£1.6 BILLION INVESTMENT IN LOCAL TRANSPORT
02 December 2004 - DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT

Local transport in England is set to benefit from a £1.6 billion investment in 2005/06, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced today.

This brings the total investment in local transport projects in the last five years to over £8 billion, a 100% increase compared to the previous five years.

Today''s announcement clearly demonstrates the Government''s continuing commitment to investing in local transport.

This year''s £1.6 billion funding will enable councils around the country to continue to invest in the transport schemes needed to support their growing economies. It will help to make our local roads better and safer and public transport a more attractive and reliable alternative to the car.

Over the last five years we have:

* Invested over £8 billion to improve local transport improvements across the country. This includes over £2.5 billion to improve the state of local roads, halting decades of under investment in local roads.

* Delivered over 150,000 smaller scale projects to improve local transport with more to come.

* Fulfilled our promises in each year of the five year indicative integrated transport block allocations.

This year''s settlement includes:

* Approval of 3 new major public transport schemes.
* Approval of 3 new major local road improvements.
* Approval of 2 new major road maintenance schemes.
* Final approval of 7 existing major local transport schemes.
* £660m for highway maintenance to improve local road condition.
* £552m for new local integrated transport schemes.
* £407m for major schemes.

New approved public transport schemes:
* Watford Junction station - a package of enhancements to Watford Junction rail station (£12m).
* Red Routes for the West Midlands - the first red routes scheme in the West Midlands conurbation (£28m).
* Castleford Integrated Transport Scheme - package of integrated transport improvements in a key regeneration area (£14.5m).

New approved local road schemes:
* Edge Lane West - a scheme to improve the Eastern gateway to Liverpool, linked to Capital of Culture plans and a key regeneration area (£15m).
* Sittingbourne Northern Distributor Route - a new road to improve access to Sittingbourne. It will support the growth of housing and jobs in the Thames Gateway area (£39m).
* Bexhill to Hastings Link Road - a new link road which is a crucial component of the regeneration plan for Hastings (£47m).

New approved maintenance projects:
* Copnor Road Bridge - the urgent replacement of a bridge on a key access route for Portsmouth (£9m).
* Derby Inner Ring Road Maintenance - crucial maintenance works in Derby (£11m).

Major local transport schemes given final approval:
* South Lowestoft Relief Road - £30m.
* Stoke Hammond and Linslade Bypass in Buckinghamshire - £41.5m.
* North West Taunton Package - £11.5m
* Primelines Quality Bus Network in Coventry - £28m.
* Wolverhampton Centre Access and Interchange - £13m.
* Barford Bypass in Warwickshire - £10m.
* Northfield Regeneration Route in Birmingham - £19m

Alistair Darling said:

''The £1.6 billion announced today means that local authorities across the country can continue to invest in improvements to their local transport systems. This year''s funding will benefit all forms of local transport, from improvements in the condition of local roads through to better buses and safer streets.

'' With over £8 billion pounds invested in improving local transport over the last five years, the Government''s determination to deliver better local transport is clear''.

The Department has set out the system by which it will select new Centres of Excellence that recognise the success of highest performing authorities.

Local authorities are also being informed today of their Rural Bus Subsidy Grant allocations for 2005/06. The total for England is £53million an increase of 3.9% on the current year.

www.dft.gov.uk

More News
  For December 2004
  From DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
  For Travel
  Biker247.com Home Page