Transport body submits £700m bid for Northern road improvements

Transport for the North have submitted a bid for a £700m investment in the region’s roads over the next five years.

The transport body is looking to get its share of the National Roads Fund, in order to unlock economic growth, deliver new homes, increase active travel, and improve public transport.

The announcement comes a week after Northern leaders launched a call for Government to commit to three ‘asks’ as part of a Northern Budget in the Autumn Spending Round.

These are for: £7bn to fund a Northern Infrastructure Pipeline of road and rail projects that could begin in the next five years, £39bn for the whole Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme, and £1bn for Transport for the North for the next three years.

Transport for the North has submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) a proposal of 16 road projects which it says must be funded as part of the National Roads Fund (NRF) for 2020-2025.

The bid was made in collaboration with its 20 Local Transport Authority Members, and 50 Highway Authorities.

The schemes include:

• Shalesmoor Gateway – Sheffield City Region

• Dawsons Corner Jct & Stanningley Bypass – West Yorkshire Combined Authority

• A1237 Dualling (Phase 2) – City of York Council

In addition, there is a scheme already under consideration by the DfT from previous rounds of funding:

• Sheffield Innovation Corridor – Sheffield City Region

Plus one scheme announced but not yet in the construction pipeline:

• A1237 Dualling (Phase 1) – York City Council

TfN said that these – along with others right across the North – are “economically important roads which urgently need improvements to ensure they are part of a sustainable and strategic transport network that can support the region’s growth.”

Peter Molyneux, Major Roads Director at Transport for the North, said: “Almost all journeys start and finish on local roads and they play a major part in everyone’s life, whether as a pedestrian, cyclist, bus passenger, freight operator, driver or passenger. We all rely on a well-functioning network to access jobs, goods and services so investment in roads is not just about new tarmac – it has much wider benefits for everyday life.

“Years of underinvestment in road networks across the North has resulted in slow journey times and poor reliability. With more than 80% of commuting trips and 87% of freight movements using the road network in the North, our people and businesses are being held back – which is why our leaders are calling for a commitment to road and rail projects as part of a Northern Budget.

“Funding these economically important roads, as part of a collaborative and multi-modal proposal based on clear evidence of need and expected benefits, should be done now. Alongside public transport improvements and investment in decarbonisation, this will enable roads to play a sustainable role in our transport network for the future.

“Investment in our roads will complement the improvements in rail and ticketing to make the North better connected and improve opportunities for all.”

Beckie Hart, CBI Yorkshire & Humber Director, added: “To spur further economic growth in our region, businesses are crying out for more funding to be spent on infrastructure.

“If this money is secured, it will allow businesses to grow, create jobs and make moving goods and services around the country easier.

“Improving major congestion pinch points on local roads also allows firms to import and export more easily as well as choose from a wider pool of labour.”