Skip to main content

Road and rail projects to boost local and regional transport

Dozens of UK towns and cities are set to benefit from government funding to tackle congested local roads and improve key points in the strategic road network, as well as new initiatives to drive forward rail electrification. Measures announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin include US$80 million from the Local Pinch Point Fund for 25 congestion-busting local roads schemes, building on 87 already announced this year; confirmation of nearly US$181 million for the M6-Heysham link road, along with
December 13, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Dozens of UK towns and cities are set to benefit from government funding to tackle congested local roads and improve key points in the strategic road network, as well as new initiatives to drive forward rail electrification.

Measures announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin include US$80 million from the Local Pinch Point Fund for 25 congestion-busting local roads schemes, building on 87 already announced this year; confirmation of nearly US$181 million for the M6-Heysham link road, along with funding for projects to improve the M55 J1, A1, and M62 J19; and electrification of the Wigan-to-Bolton railway line. A taskforce will report to the Transport Secretary within twelve months on the acceleration of further rail electrification schemes in the North of England.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Whether it’s unblocking bottlenecks on local roads, improving trouble spots on our motorways and trunk roads, or working to deliver better railways through electrification, these projects will benefit communities up and down the country and help keep Britain moving. By investing in our local and regional transport infrastructure we can help support new jobs and boost our overall competitiveness in the global economic race.”

Related Content

  • RAC: over half of drivers believe congestion has worsened on UK major roads
    November 2, 2017
    56% of 1,727 drivers questioned in an annual survey believe that congestion has worsened on UK major roads, which carries 65% of all traffic, despite them comprising only 13% of the country’s road network. The findings from the survey have been presented by the RAC’s Report on Motoring.
  • USDOT announces next generation CV funding
    September 15, 2015
    US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has revealed that New York City, Wyoming, and Tampa will receive up to US$42 million to pilot next-generation technology in infrastructure and in vehicles to share and communicate anonymous information with each other and their surroundings in real time, reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and cutting the unimpaired vehicle crash rate by 80 per cent. As part of the Department of Transportation (USDOT) national connected vehicle pilot deployment progra
  • UK investment to make it easier and safer to get on your bike
    November 28, 2014
    UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced the UK Government’s biggest single investment in cycling, which includes US$179 million to secure funding to support the Cycling Ambition Cities Programme for the next three years in Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Oxford accelerate their development of local cycling networks, increase protection for cyclists at junctions and traffic hot spots and help prevent accidents. US$157 million will also be invested over t
  • London invests in bus priority schemes to help keep bus passengers moving
    January 26, 2016
    With London’s roads seeing an increase in congestion due to a construction boom and a significant growth in population, Transport for London is investing heavily in helping keep the roads moving through a range of means. Part of this programme is designed to help buses get through congested areas quicker and more reliably. A US$284 million investment in new bus priority schemes in the capital includes changes to road layouts and junctions and enabling small changes to routes so that buses can avoid traff