Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has welcomed the Government’s announcement of £3 billion of investment on improving roads in a boost for motorists across the UK.
Yesterday the Transport Secretary outlined the details of road improvements announced as part of the Autumn Statement, including:
- £925 million to tackle congestion and provide upgrades on local roads
- £175 million to improve the 50 most dangerous roads in the country
- £220 million for Highways England to combat congestion
- £1,582,000 to fix local potholes
The West Midlands will see £942,000 invested to assist the development of a business case for the Shrewsbury North Western Relief Road – a link around the north west of Shrewsbury which aims to cut congestion and improve connectivity – and £1.25 million for the South Coventry Link Road – a new link road to the South of Coventry west of the A46 which aims to open up land for housing and commercial development.
The Department for Transport is also allocating over £7.6 million to the West Midlands to fix around 144,000 potholes in 2017/18 or stop them forming in the first place, including £1,582,000to fix 29,800 potholes in Staffordshire.
From the £175 million being made available for road safety, the Government will be inviting proposals from local highway authorities to upgrade some of the most dangerous local roads where the risk of fatal and serious collisions is highest.
Commenting on the news of the investment Gavin said: “This investment is great news for families and businesses in South Staffordshire who rely on our roads to get around.
“These schemes are focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future – helping people get from A to B quickly and safely.
“The funding to fix potholes in our area will also be welcome news for local motorists, many of whom have expressed their frustration to me about the state of our roads. I’m encouraging the council to make full use of their funding allocation locally.
“Taken together, these measures will help to build a stronger local economy by linking people with jobs, businesses with customers, ensuring a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.”