Timetable published for 14 vital road schemes
Work will start on vital improvements to the M62 in West Yorkshire, the M4/M5 around Bristol and on the A23 in West Sussex in the next 12 months – reducing congestion, improving safety and journey times, and providing a boost to the UK economy, Roads Minister Mike Penning announced today.
A further three schemes – on the M1 near Sheffield, M6 around Birmingham and A11 in Norfolk – will start in the financial year 2012-2013, the Roads Minister also confirmed today as he published the timetable for the 14 major road Highways Agency schemes due to start construction by 2015.
Mike Penning said:
“These schemes will deliver vital investment across the strategic road network, driving economic growth and boosting the UK economy.
“They will also provide much-needed additional capacity – easing congestion and making journey times more reliable for road users, including hauliers and commuters. For every pound invested on these schemes on average we will get back £7 of benefits to the economy with some delivering even higher returns.
“Transport provides the crucial links that allow people and businesses to prosper and we will continue to invest in schemes that reduce congestion and support economic growth.”
Delivering this programme, the Agency is committed to reducing the cost of capital major projects by 20% against baseline estimates, ensuring best value for the public money invested.
Between now and March 2015, the Highways Agency will (subject to statutory processes, where needed):
Start work on three projects in 2011/2012:
• A23 Handcross to Warninglid improvement scheme, West Sussex – between October 2011 and December 2011; • M62 J25 to J30 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, West Yorkshire – between October 2011 and December 2011; and • M4 J19 to J20 & M5 J15 to J17 Managed Motorways with hard shoulder running, Bristol – between January 2012 and March 2012.
Start work on three projects in 2012/2013:
• A11 Fiveways to Thetford dualling scheme, Norfolk; • M6 J5 to J8 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Birmingham; and • M1 J32 to J35a Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, near Sheffield.
Start work on eight schemes in 2013/14 or 2014/15:
• M25 J5 to J6/J7 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Kent to Surrey • M25 J23 to J27 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Hertfordshire to Essex; • M1 J28 to J31 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Derbyshire; • A556 Knutsford to Bowdon improvement scheme, south of Manchester; • M60 J8 to J12 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Manchester; • M60 J12 to J15 (Lane Gain) Managed Motorway, Manchester; • M62 J18 to J20 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Manchester; and • M1 J39 to J42 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running, Wakefield.
Complete construction on seven schemes:
• A1 Dishforth to Leeming upgrade scheme in 2011/12, North Yorkshire; • M1 J19 Catthorpe Viaduct replacement scheme in 2011/12, near Rugby; • A3 Hindhead Tunnelling scheme 2011/12, Surrey; • M25 J16 to J23 widening scheme in 2012/13, Buckinghamshire to Hertfordshire; • M25 J27 to J30 widening scheme in 2012/13, Essex; • M1 J10 to J13 Managed Motorway with hard shoulder running – 2012/13, Bedfordshire; and • A46 Newark to Widmerpool dualling scheme in 2012/13, near Nottingham.
[Note: The A421 Bedford to M1 dualling scheme was included in the October announcement, and work was completed in December 2010.]
The Agency will also be developing a further 18 schemes in preparation for future spending review periods, subject to statutory processes, continuing value for money and affordability. Four of the 18 schemes are being reviewed to ensure they offer the best solution to the local circumstances. To ensure the roads programme remains flexible, a small number of schemes will be identified that could be accelerated to start construction before 2015 if circumstances allow. [See notes to editors Number 5 for more detail, including a list of these schemes.]
The Highways Agency will announce construction dates on schemes in future years on an annual basis as part of Departmental and Highways Agency business planning.
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