Tories pledge to lift Agency's roadblock

Apr 20 2007 By Ross Smith, The Journal

Conservatives will reform the Highways Agency's planning powers following anger over delays to vital developments in the North-East, the party's transport spokesman signalled last night.

Shadow Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said changes are "very likely", in a clear indication of the impact the Go For Jobs campaign has made at national level.

He was speaking after a visit to the region to meet business leaders frustrated at delays to developments prompted by the agency's fears over congestion on the A1 and A19.

Mr Grayling promised to spell out how and when the Tories would resolve the critical congestion hotspot of the A1 Gateshead Western Bypass before the next general election.

The decision to take the road out of the national strategic network where it passes through Northumberland is "absolutely bonkers", he added.

In talks at developer UK Land Estates' offices on Team Valley, Mr Grayling was told about the Highways Agency's planning tactics by a delegation including the North East Chamber of Commerce, which has led Go For Jobs alongside The Journal.

Afterwards, he said: "I think it's very likely that I will have to make changes to the Highways Agency. I am uncomfortable with a number of things they're doing.

"I've been disturbed by a number of things I've heard locally here about the constraints they're putting on planning. It's not the role of the Highways Agency to constrain the economic regeneration of the North-East.

"I do have serious question marks about the Highways Agency - serious question marks about the way it's using money and I'm profoundly concerned by what I've heard here about the way it's intervening to hold back development."

He refused to give specific commitments on upgrading the A1 until after the Government's spending review later this year, but said few projects were as high on his priority list.

He added: "Without improvements to the transport system, the economy of the North-East is going to be held back. Something has got to be done to relieve the pressure around Newcastle and improve links between the North and South. It's constraining the economy and holding business back.

"I want us to be able to genuinely come back to the people of the North-East before the next general election and say we've thought through the transport problems you've got, this is what we're going to do, when we're going to do it, how we're going to pay for it, and do it in a way that gives them some comfort it's actually going to happen."

Last night, NECC policy director Andrew Sugden said: "It was a very positive meeting with somebody who is obviously open to some of the pressures North-East businesses are facing.

"It's encouraging someone in the national political arena can understand the frustrations that we face in this region with the Highways Agency proposals, but also the wider challenges around planning."

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Go for jobs

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

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

It achieved success when Roads Minister Stephen Ladyman promised in June that Article 14 notices should be used "very infrequently", and said a line should be drawn on two years of problems with the orders.

The campaign now 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.

• To find out more, go to www.goforjobs.co.uk