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

  • June 2, 2015
    Transport Secretary says high-speed rail and Northern Powerhouse ‘a priority’
    In a keynote speech in Leeds, UK Transport Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed high-speed rail and Northern Powerhouse are a priority. He said that boosting growth in the north, rebalancing the economy and creating a Northern Powerhouse were a vital part of the long-term economic plan and confirmed that work on High Speed 2 (HS2) is on track to start in 2017. Work is also well underway on developing plans for high-speed east-west rail links. He confirmed that US$18 billion government funding would be inv
  • November 6, 2014
    Northern Futures: improvements for northern road and rail
    As the Northern Futures Summit begins, UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announces better trains in the north to reduce overcrowding and cut journey times. More than 25 million people use cross-Pennine rail routes every year, and over a third of passengers have to stand during their commute. By 2025 the Deputy Prime Minister wants to see electrified cross-Pennine links between Liverpool and Manchester on one side and Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and Hull on the other. This will shorten journey times
  • October 23, 2023
    £150m boost for UK local bus services
    Money is part of reallocation of £36bn due to be spend on now-abandoned HS2
  • March 25, 2015
    UK councils win funding for local infrastructure projects
    Councils across England will receive a share of US$410 million for major local roads maintenance, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced. The Challenge Fund will be used for one-off major infrastructure schemes by local authorities to improve life for local residents and businesses. The 31 schemes being awarded funding across the 28 local authorities include safety repairs, bridge renewal, carriageway and drainage improvements, as well as upgrading street lighting in a number of areas to bring