£165m is released to tackle bottlenecks

Patrick McLoughlin the Transport Secretary announced today that England’s congested roads are going to be addressed with £165m worth of funding.

This will be the second round of funding released from the Local Pinch Point Fund that is worth £190m. The fund was first created in December of 2012 and thus far 62 schemes have received Department funding.

Combined with local contributions, the total investment rises to more than £300m.

The successful schemes being announced today include improvements and upgrades to vital roads and bridges, new access routes and enhancements to address congestion at local traffic hotspots. Many of the schemes will help enhance provision for buses, as well as improving facilities for cycling and walking.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, said:

“This Government is taking action on both jobs and growth.

“The schemes we have announced today are designed to target key bottlenecks around the country, making life easier for the thousands of motorists and businesses who use the local road network every day.

“Investing in these schemes shows that the Government is serious about accelerating growth where it is needed most.

“These schemes have the potential to help create more than 100,000 jobs and around 100,000 new homes.

“I look forward to seeing works underway as soon as possible.”

A full list of the successful bids can be found in the table at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-pinch-point-fund-approved-schemes-for-tranche-2

All the schemes for which funding has been confirmed today are also receiving funding contributions from the local council or the private sector.