Government backs over 50 road and rail projects

The government has approved over 50 road and rail infrastructure projects across England, promising faster journeys and improved connectivity for millions of commuters and businesses. Among the schemes given the go-ahead is the long-delayed A66 Northern Trans-Pennine route and the reinstatement of the Portishead to Bristol city centre rail line, which has been closed for more than 60 years. Roads

Among the transport upgrades announced are five significant roads projects.

• M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire
• M60/M62/M66 Simister Island upgrade in Greater Manchester
• A38 Derby Junctions scheme
• A46 Newark Bypass extension
• A66 Northern Trans-Pennine corridor

M54 to M6 link road: There is presently no motorway connection between the M6 and M54, meaning large volumes of long-distance and local traffic using local roads and passing through villages between the two motorways. This includes roads like the A460, which presently carries over 26,000 vehicles per day and has just one lane in each direction as well as stretches of 30mph speed limits. M60/M62/M66 Simister Island: With around 90,000 vehicles per day, Simister Island has become one of the busiest junctions in the North West, leading to regular congestion and delays.

Improvements will allow smoother flows of traffic along the connecting motorways. A38 Derby Junctions scheme: Three roundabouts on the A38 through Derby already face a serious congestion challenge and the local area has demand for 43,000 new homes by 2040. The route also connects businesses like Rolls Royce, Toyota, Bombardier and companies in the Infinity Park Enterprise Zones, making congestion a problem for major employers. upgrades to the Kingsway, Markeaton and Little Eaton roundabouts are intended to ease this problem.

A46 Newark Bypass extension: Intended to reduce delays to road traffic, the extended bypass will improve connectivity from the M1 and Leicester, to the A1 and central Lincolnshire. The project should reduced congestion and delays and improve business productivity in the area by providing a more reliable road network with greater resilience. A66 Northern Trans-Pennine corridor: 18-miles of single carriageway along this vital route will be upgraded to dual carriageway standards, with improvements to junctions along the route. is slated to enhance east-west travel across the north, cutting journey times and supporting more than 10,000 new homes, as well as facilitating key national and international trade routes.This is expected to improve access to tourist locations

Rail At the same time, government has announced key rail projects, including:

• Reinstating a passenger rail line between Bristol city centre and Portishead
• Midlands Rail Hub
• New stations at Wellington and Cullompton in Devon and a station at Haxby near York

Bristol city centre to Portishead: The line, which as closed in 1964, will re-open with three new train stations along the route to reconnect Portishead to Bristol and reducing travel and commute times. The line is expected to be running in 2028.

Midlands Rail Hub: A GBP1.75bn blueprint to add up to 300 additional trains each day, equivalent to 20M additional rail seats per year on the rail network per day into or out of Birmingham, to provide better new rail links for over 50 locations including Nottingham, Leicester, Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford and Cardiff. Midlands Rail Hub will build two 'chords' at Bordesley, just east of Birmingham City Centre. New stations: Wellington and Cullompton in Devon, and Haxby near York, are set to see tens of thousands more residents within reach of rail services thanks to new stations in areas identified for potential housing growth.

Wider investment underway Local road improvements have also been announced, with funding committed to 28 local schemes such as the Middlewich Eastern Bypass and the A382 Drumbridges to Newton Abbot project, which focus on easing congested commutes and unlocking housing developments. This package of upgrades is part of a wider GBP92bn transport investment announced following last month's Spending Review, aimed at boosting economic growth, increasing housing supply, and enhancing job access outside London and the South East.

The government intends these projects to support its Plan for Change strategy, which targets building 1.5 million new homes and creating thousands of jobs over the coming years. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said "Transport is the backbone of our economy, which is why we are giving them the record funding boost they need, putting taxpayers' money where it matters most and making everyday journeys easier. "With over GBP92bn investment, including the biggest ever boost for city regions in the north and Midlands, we're delivering the schemes that fast-track economic growth and jobs, connect communities, and will help us build 1.5M new homes, as we deliver our Plan for Change.  "We're forging ahead with the vital new transport infrastructure Britain needs, and improving what we've already got, to deliver a new era of renewal and opportunity."

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