Darling backs use of Article 14 orders

Apr 13 2006 By Ross Smith, The Journal

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling today defends controversial Article 14 orders being used to hold up development in the North-East.

The tactic - used by the Highways Agency to halt planning applications near major roads - is estimated to cost the region £1bn of investment and 10,000 potential jobs.

But writing to The Journal today, Mr Darling insists the agency is working "constructively" with developers.

He says: "I understand the frustrations involved in the small number of cases you highlight. At the same time, the agency is working very hard to resolve any outstanding issues.

"We want development, we support jobs and we want to see it matched to proper planning and integrated transport solutions in the region."

He says just four applications, out of 237 referred to the agency in the last 18 months, have been refused, all on safety grounds.

And he says only a further 12 have been delayed by use of Article 14s. But business leaders said last night he was failing to address the problem of developers being put off investing in the region because of the threat of delays.

Mr Darling also offered no explanation as to why the North-East could not be treated in a similar way to South Yorkshire, where use of Article 14s has been relaxed to aid development.

North East Chamber of Commerce policy director Andrew Sugden said last night: "It's a straight bat response. I'm not surprised by it.

"What it doesn't allow for is the pernicious effect of, as One NorthEast described it, `putting the frighteners on developers'.

"It's surprising to see that the Transport Secretary doesn't appreciate that."

Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland said: "It doesn't really tell us anything more. We can all see there are occasions when the Highways Agency will have to issue warnings against massive increases in traffic in a particular area.

"But unless we can grow development in this area, we will never regenerate the economy. The Government can't have it both ways - they can't say they're not going to invest in transport infrastructure on the one hand, but not allow us to have economic development that would help pay for that on the other.

"We have to get a balance."

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This is what we need

The Go For Jobs campaign is backed by The Journal, the Evening Gazette, on Teesside and the North East Chamber of Commerce.

We want the Highways Agency to lift Article 14 notices which block developments that, the Agency says, could put extra traffic on the A1 or A19.

We want them to cease using this tactic, which business leaders estimate is putting 10,000 potential jobs and £1bn of investment at risk.

The campaign calls for sensible alternative measures to ease congestion on the roads, including effective public transport systems. We also want an end to delays for upgrades to the routes.