Skip to main content

UK Spending Review ‘increases capital investment in transport by 50%’

UK Chancellor George Osborne announced major investments in transport in the government’s Spending Review and Autumn Statement, despite a 37 per cent cut in the Department for Transport’s (DfT) operational budget. This was offset with a planned 50% per cent increase in capital expenditure for the DfT - rising to a total of US$92 billion. In addition to protecting overall police spending in line with inflation, an increase of US$1.3 billion by 2019-20, the review includes US$70 billion capital investment
November 26, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
UK Chancellor George Osborne announced major investments in transport in the government’s Spending Review and Autumn Statement, despite a 37 per cent cut in the 1837 Department for Transport’s (DfT) operational budget. This was offset with a planned 50% per cent increase in capital expenditure for the DfT - rising to a total of US$92 billion.

In addition to protecting overall police spending in line with inflation, an increase of US$1.3 billion by 2019-20, the review includes US$70 billion capital investment by the Department for Transport (DfT) over the next five years on High Speed Two (HS2), roads and local transport.

Development funding of US$452 million is provided for the next generation of transformative transport infrastructure, and US$716 million of new funding to support construction of large local transport projects.

The government has committed to fully funding the road investment strategy. 8101 Highways England will deliver 112 major roads schemes worth over US$22.6 billion to 2020-21, with an average benefit of US$6 for every US$1.5 invested.

Construction will begin on HS2 during the Parliament and the Spending Review confirms a funding envelope of US$84 trillion in 2015 prices, which will deliver HS2 from London to Birmingham by 2026 and to Leeds and Manchester by 2033.

The government will also establish a new US$452 million Transport Development Fund, supporting development work for transformative transport infrastructure projects. This could include providing development funding for projects such as Crossrail 2 and proposals emerging from the northern transport strategy, following advice from the National Infrastructure Commission.

In addition, US$716 million of investment will be provided through the Local Majors Fund which will mean that local areas can bid for funding for projects such as the North Devon Link Road, the A391 in Cornwall, and the Lowestoft Third River Crossing and Ipswich Wet Dock Crossing.

More than US$900 million is to be spent between 2015-16 and 2020-21 to support uptake and manufacturing of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) in the UK, while US$452 will be invested in cycling between 2015-16 and 2020-21, including delivering in full Cycle Ambition City scheme, with construction of segregated cycle lanes including 115 kilometres in Birmingham and 56 kilometres in Manchester.

The government will also continue to devolve significant transport powers to mayor-led city regions, including Greater Manchester, Sheffield City Region, Liverpool City Region, the north-east, Tees Valley and the West Midlands.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Inrix offers to help local authorities win congestion funding
    April 3, 2017
    In a recent blog, Professor Graham Cookson, chief economist and head of research at Inrix says that following the announcement by the UK government that local authorities may be concerned that US$866 million (£690 million) funding to tackle congestion will be made available through competitive funding. The UK’s Local Government Association said in its recent Budget briefing: ‘Competitive bidding is a time consuming process and does little to provide certainty of funding needed to attract additional priva
  • Moody's: tolls will have a greater role in closing US highway funding gap
    April 28, 2017
    In light of stagnant federal funding and limited capacity for states to increase spending, toll roads will play an increasing role in addressing the funding gap for road and bridge infrastructure needs in the US, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service. Based on historical trends, Moody's projects more toll roads and increased tolling in areas with existing traffic congestion and growing economies, population and per capita income. The 2017 Infrastructure Report Card by the American Society
  • European Commission proposal to increase research and investment in Europe’s transportation sector
    September 24, 2012
    The EU is launching a new plan, Research and Innovation for Europe’s Future Mobility, that aims to develop a long-term policy strategy that among other goals, is to reduce road casualties to almost zero and greenhouse gas emission from the transport sector by 60 per cent in 2050. The plan doesn’t propose any new EU funding or regulations but instead proposes an initiative to meet with Member States and other relevant stakeholder to discuss policy priorities and objectives. Speaking about the plan, Vice Pres
  • Australia’s infrastructure spending plans
    May 14, 2014
    In its federal budget announced on 13 May 2014, the Australian government announced plans for new infrastructure projects costing US$117.04 billion to keep the economy going after the mining boom ends. The new funding and existing projects are expected to boost infrastructure investment to US$47 billion by end of the decade. The government will invest US$11 billion to fast track infrastructure projects including US$3.4 billion for road projects, US$4.6 billion to asset-recycling fund for states and US$2.