Government Brings Forward Transport Schemes

This week the government announced that around £1billion of transport schemes will be brought forward next year to help stimulate the industry.Transport secretary Geoff Hoon said £300m of extra funding would be used to speed up schemes to improve transport links to airports and ports.

Speaking to the House of Commons today he said: “Congestion, whether it is on our roads or railways, is not just a nuisance to travellers, it is also a tax on the productivity of our businesses, and if left unchecked could become a brake on growth...That is why I am today accelerating plans to make better use of Britain's motorways and why I am also earmarking a further £300m to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on road links to key airports and ports.”

As part of the £700m funding package announced yesterday, the Department for Transport has pledged to accelerate construction of a road link between Newark and Widmerpool in Nottinghamshire and delivery of 200 new train carriages earlier than planned.

The extra £300m announced today includes £165m for a road link near Manchester airport, £54m to boost the North London rail line and £60m for traffic management measures around Felixstowe and Harwich ports.