Skip to main content

UK government to fund congestion-fixing road schemes

The UK government has approved funds to tackle congestion in two of the UK’s major cities, Birmingham and Leeds. Work needed to tackle congestion on the regionally strategic A452 road in Birmingham can now start after receiving final approval from Transport Minister Baroness Kramer. The road carries heavy traffic, creating poor access and a lack of reliable journey times for road users. The US$13 million improvements will improve the network, improve bus journey times and improve pedestrian and cyclist
October 25, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The UK government has approved funds to tackle congestion in two of the UK’s major cities, Birmingham and Leeds.

Work needed to tackle congestion on the regionally strategic A452 road in Birmingham can now start after receiving final approval from Transport Minister Baroness Kramer.  The road carries heavy traffic, creating poor access and a lack of reliable journey times for road users.  The US$13 million improvements will improve the network, improve bus journey times and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Work can now start on the construction with the project scheduled to complete in spring 2015.

The Leeds Inner Relief Road has been given the green light and US$25.8 million of funding for major maintenance work that will keep traffic moving in the city.  The scheme, the full cost of which is US$40 million, consists of essential maintenance to three large highway structures on the A58M Leeds Inner Ring Road at Woodhouse Tunnel, New York Road Viaduct and Lovell Park Road Bridge.

Work on the viaduct and bridge has been completed early, meaning motorists are already benefitting from the upgrades.  Work can now begin on the Woodhouse Tunnel later this month, with completion due for 2016.

Related Content

  • M6 should be priority for Government investment, drivers tell FTA
    December 20, 2016
    The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been looking at stretches of the UK’s strategic road network that would most benefit from Government investment following the Chancellor’s commitment in his Autumn Statement to fund improvements to congestion hot spots. Philip Hammond said the Government would spend IS$1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) on improving England’s roads, including US$222 million (£220 million) on tackling congestion at pinch points and US$33 million (£27 million) on an expressway connecting Ox
  • Slow development of Europe's road user charging
    April 24, 2013
    Delegates convened in Brussels for Europe’s 10th annual Road User Charging Conference in March, when both positive and negative developments came to light for advocates of more widespread introduction of RUC. Jon Masters reports. Goings on across Europe in recent months have again demonstrated how very sensitive road user charging (RUC) is politically. At the 10th annual Road User Charging Conference in Brussels at the beginning of March, a Danish delegation was notable for its absence, but Belgian governme
  • UK government invests £7m to boost cycle safety
    February 27, 2018
    The UK government will invest £7m ($5m) in cycling projects to improve road safety and create more bike-friendly areas that encourage more people to cycle as part of everyday journeys. It is part of the Department of Transport’s (DoT’s) cycle safety review, which aims to ensure that the country’s roads are as safe as possible for everyone using them. Eight cities, which have already received help from the government to promote cycling, will be able to bid for an additional £6.5m ($4.6m) of funding to
  • ITS solutions to keep truck traffic moving
    June 8, 2015
    David Crawford reviews freight management initiatives. Managing truck traffic to minimise its environmental impacts, without adversely impacting on its critical economic role, continues to drive ITS-based solutions in both urban and interurban contexts.