Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, has welcomed today's announcement of a multi-billion pound fund to combat congestion in towns and cities across England.
This cash will aim to improve local roads that were "de-trunked" by Labour nearly two decades ago and is part of a fund totalling more than £61 billion to 2020/21 that will upgrade the road and rail network.
With a significant element of the fund set aside for improvements, like bypasses, the plan will aim to decongest local towns, create smoother journeys, reduce air pollution and – in some places – create a better opportunity for the housing developments that we need for the future.
The Transport Investment Strategy sets out a new long-term approach for government infrastructure spending – meaning cash will be targeted at projects that help rebalance the economy. And it features the proposed creation of a new Major Road Network, which would see a share of the annual National Road Fund, funded by Vehicle Excise Duty – which restores the link between the amount that people pay in car tax and the amount spent on roads – to end the disparity between Britain's motorways and local A roads.
Caroline commented:
'The state of our roads is consistently raised with me by local residents, so I welcome the government's latest step to invest in the future of the road network.
'I'll be making the case to the Transport Secretary to make sure that we get our fair share of the funding locally, especially for access roads to Gosport.
'Today's announcement shows that we are delivering on our commitment to invest in infrastructure to attract businesses and fix pinch points – opening up opportunities for new housing and local growth.'
