£1.3bn Road Improvements Revealed for Yorkshire

Details of £1.3 billion road investment for motorways into and out of Leeds, have been revealed today.

The investment will see major improvements and repairs taking place between now and 2020, with the aim of giving road users simpler, faster and more reliable journeys. It will also boost the area’s economy and help to bring the country closer together.

The work is part of the government’s ‘Road Investment Strategy’, a £15 billion plan which was announced last year to triple levels of spending on England’s roads by the end of the decade, increasing their capacity and condition.

Highways England, the government-owned company which was set up earlier this year, detailed its plans for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, including major improvements on the A1, M62, M1, A63, A180 and A628.

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said:

“Roads are key to our nation's prosperity. That's why, as part of our long-term economy plan, we are making the biggest investment in roads in a generation.

“The £1.3 billion investment in Yorkshire and the Humber over the next five years will significantly improve journeys and help create jobs.

“Through schemes like these we are building the Northern Powerhouse and creating opportunities for hardworking people across the nation.”

Jeremy Bloom, Highways England’s Director of Major Projects in the North, added:

“Drivers in Yorkshire and the Humber will see significant investment in major A roads and motorways across the region. These schemes will bring significant benefits to the users of the road network.”

The government is investing in more than 100 new road schemes across the country by 2020, adding over 1,300 miles of new lanes to motorways and trunk roads, tackling congestion and fixing some of the most notorious and longstanding problem areas on the network.

Schemes already under construction in Yorkshire and Humber include:

• A1 Leeming to Barton - the £368 million scheme will unlock growth and boost the economy by creating a continuous motorway-standard route between London and Newcastle (including the M1 and A1M). It will also improve journey times and increase safety - M1 junctions 39 to 42 – £120 million is being spent making this stretch of the M1 a smart motorway to ease congestion and support economic development - A160/A180 – £88.4 million project to improve access to one of the UK’s busiest ports and the surrounding area, stimulating growth and unlocking economic benefits - M1 junctions 32 to 35A – over £100 million is being invested to upgrade this section of the M1 to a smart motorway

Schemes due to start in the region by 2019/20 include:

• A63 Castle Street – improvements to this key route in Hull - M1 Junction 45 – junction improvements to improve access to the Aire Valley development - M62/M606 Chain Bar – scheme to tackle the severe delays between Leeds and Bradford - M621 junctions 1 to 7 – improvements to junctions to reduce congestion - M62 junctions 20 to 25 – upgrade to a smart motorway, adding an extra lane and using variable speed limits to keep traffic moving

Highways England Yorkshire and North East Divisional Director, Vanessa Gilbert, added:

“It’s vital that we continue to improve the existing road network which is why we’re also investing millions of pounds on resurfacing, safety barriers and other maintenance projects across the whole Yorkshire and the Humber region.

“In addition to the £1.3 billion, we will be spending over £100 million a year for the next 5 years on maintenance and smaller scale improvement schemes. Motorways and trunk roads form the backbone of the region’s economy and this huge investment will ensure they remain healthy for many years to come.”