Transport misses out in Spring Budget

06/03/2024 | CHRIS AMES

With attention focused on tax cuts, Jeremy Hunt said almost nothing about transport spending in his Budget speech, while Treasury documents suggest a watering down of commitments to local roads.

The official Budget document confirmed a cut in the Department for Transport’s (DfT) resource spending from £8.2bn this year to £5.7bn in 2024-25.

This is despite a wider 1% rise in real terms for public spending next year.

The document also repeated the plans to redirect savings from the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2 through the Network North programme, including confirming £4.7bn recently announced for ‘places outside city regions in the North and Midlands’.

It stated: ‘This is in addition to the £8.3 billion the government has announced it will be investing in local roads over the next 11 years to fill millions of potholes and resurface roads, repair bridges, and deliver vital local road upgrades across England.’

The DfT has previously described this cash as ‘additional’ but has not explicitly stated what core level of funding it is additional to. It is now unclear whether there will be any extra money for councils beyond 2025.

The Government previously said the £8.3bn was for resurfacing, 'enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years', with a further £4bn of HS2 cash for road upgrades, but has now described the cash as covering ‘local road upgrades’.

The Treasury re-iterated that the Government is committed to delivering a privately financed HS2 Euston station and claimed ‘productive engagement’ with local leaders to take forward £12bn to enable Northern Powerhouse Rail.

It added that it was giving the green light to the next section of East West Rail, although it clarified that this meant bringing forward works on the Bletchley to Bedford section, supported by £240m from existing budgets.

The Treasury said the Government is also upgrading the timetable on the East Coast mainline from December 2024, ‘delivering the benefits from £4 billion of government investment by providing faster and more frequent services between London and Yorkshire, Newcastle, and Edinburgh'.

The Budget set out what the Treasury called an ‘ambitious plan’ to grow the economy of Cambridge and deliver new homes by 2050, as well as confirming that the future development corporation in Cambridge will receive a long-term funding settlement at the next Spending Review, likely to include cash for transport.

The Treasury said the Government is providing an additional £7.2m to ‘unlock’ improvements to local transport connections between the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the city, and making £3m available for Cambridge University NHS Trust to support plans for growth.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Capital Delivery Manager

£50,788 - £52,805
To be responsible for the implementation of Welsh Government’s Renewal and Upgrade programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer x 2

£47,532 –£55,620 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Electrical Design Engineer

Grade 9 £34,314 to £37,938 - Grade 10 £37,035 to £40,476 - Grade 11 £39,513 to £43,693 - Grade 12 £42,708 to £46,731 p.a.
The Construction Consultancy Services (CCS) team provide client-side construction consultancy services across a range of professional disciplines to d Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council

Park Operations Assistant - Thorndon Country Park

Up to £12540.50 per annum
This is a permanent, part time position on an annualised hours contract. This means you will be contracted to work a minimum of 964.59 hours per yea England, Essex, Brentwood
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Highways Engineer

£50,754 – £53,607 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Highways Capital Lead

£47,754 - £50,788
To be responsible for management of the Regional Highway Capital Delivery Teams South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Development Management Engineer

£37,938 - £44,711
In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce Coventry, West Midlands
Recruiter: Coventry City Council

Head of Highways

£66,366 - £85,284 pa
Highway Operations is a large division within the Planning, Growth & Infrastructure. Enfield (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Enfield London Borough Council

Director Highways, Transport & Waste Management

up to £120k
There for Nottinghamshire. There for each other. There for you. Nottinghamshire
Recruiter: Nottinghamshire County Council

Director of Highways and Transportation

£126,909
We’re seeking a dynamic and innovative leader to spearhead our Highways and Transportation services. Essex
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Structures Technician

£32,654 - £36,124 plus circa £2000 - £4000 OT (variable
To lead on the planning, delivery and reporting of the highway structures General Inspection programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Assistant Director of Place Operations

£85,962 to £93,267
Bury is a proud and prosperous borough Bury, Greater Manchester
Recruiter: Bury Council

Career Grade Transport Planner (Carer Grade 6-8)

Grade 06 (£29,093 - £32,654) TO Grade 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward thinking and dynamic transport authority located in the heart of the North West Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Performance and Assurance Manager

£Competitive
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Principal Performance and Assurance Manager to join our Senior Management Team SBIM Avonmouth, Bristol
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Construction Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Principal Construction Manager to join our dynamic Area 12 West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Amey

Electrician

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for two Permanent Electricians Tingley, Wakefield
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Engineer – Structures Capital Delivery

£43,693 - £47,754
To act as one of the Agent's technical experts for highway structures schemes and related issues South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer Programme Management

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer ensuring effective co-ordination, programming and contract administration. South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer – Structures Delivery

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer Structures (Capital Works) and deputise if necessary South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW