Ministers have announced a total of £173m towards three major local authority road schemes.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the schemes would ‘not only save drivers time stuck in traffic, but help support thousands of new jobs and homes’.
The cash comes from Large Local Majors fund. The schemes are:
- Improvements to the A361 North Devon link road between South Molton and Bideford
- A new million bypass for Melton Mowbray
- Improvements to Jock’s Lodge junction and the A164 in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Devon County Council will receive £83m towards its plans for the North Devon link road. Its plans, which are costed at £93m, include widening three sections of the A361 between Barnstaple and South Molton, with two lanes of travel in one direction and a single lane in the opposite direction. There will also be upgrades to some junctions.
The funding also includes £49.5m for the Melton Mowbray Eastern Distributor Road, a single carriageway road almost 7km long around the east of the town.
The bypass will connect the A606 Nottingham Road to the A606 Burton Road, with roundabouts developed at Scalford Road, Melton Spinney Road, A607 Thorpe Road and B676 Saxby Road. Walking and cycling facilities will be provided for the whole length of the new route.
The scheme is set to cost £63.5m. Leicestershire County Council is providing the remaining £14m.
The council’s deputy leader, Byron Rhodes, said: ‘We’ve already committed £4m in making this scheme shovel-ready with more funding to follow and I think this has been vital in securing the money.
‘It’s an exciting scheme, which is part of a strategy which includes further measures to address congestion issues, air pollution, public transport improvements, and provide healthy walking and cycling options. We will shortly be confirming details of our preferred route.’
East Riding of Yorkshire Council will receive will receive £40m towards its planned improvements to Jock’s Lodge junction and the A164. The total cost of the scheme is £51m with the council putting up the remainder.
The A1079 junction will be reconfigured and six miles of road between the Lincoln Way and Castle Hill roundabouts will be converted into a dual carriageway, allowing more capacity for journeys between the Humber Bridge and Beverley. The plans also include the creation of a segregated pedestrian and cycle crossing of the A1079.
