Yorkshire reaps benefits of £36bn infrastructure investment

YORKSHIRE is set to benefit as part of a £36bn infrastructure investment in 200 projects across the UK.

Among the projects in rail, road, local transport, flood defences, broadband, airport infrastructure and waste management, investment in Yorkshire and the Humber include the Sheffield Lower Don Valley flood defence schemes and the A1 Barton to Leeming motorway upgrade in North Yorkshire, which will reduce journey times by 20%.

The A1 Leeming to Barton Motorway Upgrade is a £380m scheme that will upgrade a 12-mile section of the A1 to a motorway and make improvements to junctions. Roadworks started this month and it is set to be open to traffic in 2016/17. The upgrade is expected to generate an estimated 750 jobs in the construction industry over three years.

Meanwhile, the £18.1m Sheffield Don Valley Flood Defence Scheme will increase protection for areas that were affected by flooding in 2000 and 2007. The scheme will protect hundreds of properties in the Lower Don area and a section of the M1. It will also protect 300 businesses which employ 15,000 in the local area. Local businesses have agreed to contribute £1.4m to the overall cost of the scheme, which is due to end next summer. 

The projects due to start construction this year are part of £36bn of planned investment – £5bn public investment, £21bn private investment and £10bn in joint public and private investment – in infrastructure across the country that could support more than 150,000 jobs in construction and many thousands more in other sectors following completion. This includes the start of a £38bn programme of rail spending over the next five years.

In addition, there is expected to be further investment of up to £15bn in oil and gas this year.

Prime minister David Cameron said: “Ensuring Britain has first class infrastructure is a crucial part of our long term economic plan: supporting business, creating jobs and providing a better future for hardworking people.

“As a crucial part of our long-term economic plan, this Government is backing business with better infrastructure so that more jobs and opportunities are created for hardworking people, meaning more financial security and peace of mind for families.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne added: “As part of our long-term economic plan we are investing in infrastructure around the country to create a more balanced, resilient economy.
 
“Because of the tough decisions we have taken in day to day spending, we can prioritise public investment where it is most needed and create the right conditions for private investment in infrastructure where it brings value for the taxpayer.
 
“So this year over 200 new projects worth an estimated £36bn are due to start, creating thousands of jobs, securing future growth and delivering the world class infrastructure Britain deserves.”

 

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