Essex County Council to apply for £16m to boost economy in Tendring
The funding will help tackle high levels of unemployment in the district
Last updated 25th Jul 2022
Essex County Council is set to apply for more than £16m in levelling up funds from the Government that will be matched by £2m from its own coffers to improve the economy in Tendring.
Tendring has been rated as the second most in need for levelling up funds in the country – the 2011 census demonstrates that areas of Tendring have a higher percentage of households with no access to a car or van than the national average of 26 per cent.
It also has high levels of unemployment and a lack of a sound skill base.
The bid – for £16.3m of LUF funding and £1.9m of ECC match funding – would provide a package of transport measures to improve road safety and improved journeys, public transport and infrastructure improvements and cycling.
Essex County Council says the bid ties into the future opportunities offered by the development of Bathside Bay (Harwich) as part of the Freeport East programme.
A large slice of the cash wold go to safety improvements on the A133 north of Clacton mainly between Weeley and Frating.
This would involve improving the junctions of the A133 with Heckford’s Road, Church Road and Shair Lane as well as the St John’s roundabout in Clacton.
Money is also proposed to go to introducing a DigiGo (Digital Demand Responsive Transport) service to Tendring. The DigiGo service responds to demand rather than having set routes.
Minibuses can collect and drop off passengers anywhere with a particular area.
The buses can be booked with an app and is aimed at providing a flexible and environmentally-friendly transport service for people who do not live close to main public transport routes.
The scheme would be likely to involve ECC purchasing land and building depot infrastructure that would include installing rapid electric vehicle chargers, and 10 new fully electric minibuses.
Once operationalised, DigiGo is expected to cost £1.2m in 2024/25, £850k in 2025/26 and £524k in 2026/27.
The bid also envisages plans for around four kilometres of new and upgraded cycleway between Dovercourt to the proposed Freeport East site at Bathside Bay.
A statement as part of a cabinet decision to be signed off by Councillor Lesley Wagland, cabinet member for economic renewal, infrastructure and planning next week said: “The Government, in support of its Levelling Up White Paper has introduced a £4.8bn ‘Levelling Up Fund’ which is capital funding targeted at local infrastructure available to be bid for by local authorities according to specific stipulations.
“Essex County Council as a local highway authority can submit a bid to this fund and this cabinet member action summarises a proposed initial bid for a package of sustainable transport measures in Tendring and seeks approval for submittal. If the bid were eventually successful it would support Essex County Council in achieving its own Levelling Up aims within priority areas.”
Elsewhere in Essex, Harlow, Castle Point and Basildon demonstrate strong need for economic recovery and economic growth.
Maldon, other predominantly rural districts (Uttlesford, Braintree and Brentwood) and Castle Point demonstrate a strong need for improved transport connectivity.
The levelling up bid is expected to be finalised and submitted to the Government by August 2.