A1 changes will be seven years too late
Oct 31 2007 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
BUSINESS leaders in the North have called for urgent improvements to the region’s transport infrastructure after the Government’s long-term strategy fell short of local hopes.
The report – Towards a Sustainable Transport System – outlined a regional consultation process to decide how £20bn of government funding will be spent after 2014.
But the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) yesterday said any potential changes promised by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly are “seven years too late”.
No specific improvements were confirmed in the Government report, but high speed rail links, congestion charging for more cities, wider motorways and extra airport capacity are among a wide range of suggestions.
While the North-East could potentially benefit from the money, Ross Smith, head of policy, at the NECC thought any changes were long overdue.
“We needed these changes yesterday so we’re not going to cross our fingers hoping we get a slice of the cash after 2014. We have to keep making the case. Every day the A1 is left in the state that it’s in is another day when the North-East doesn’t grow as it could do. It’s a matter of urgency so it’s not our intention to wait and see.”
Road pricing was among a range of options put forward in the report for improving the country’s most congested routes. The report was a response to last year’s Eddington Transport Study and Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change.
Conferences will be held in all regions of England, with anyone with an interest in transport being encouraged to attend.
North Tyneside Council's elected mayor John Harrison, who will lead a city region transport body to be set up next year, said it was a chance for the North-East to have its voice heard.
He said: “We all realise the increasing importance of transport within the regional and national agenda and this announcement is an opportunity for the region to make its case for a more effective and integrated approach to solving long term transport issues.”
Speaking at the Northern Regeneration Conference yesterday, Transport minister Rosie Winterton told delegates that local knowledge should be used to decide where Government funds are spent.
“But sometimes we have to make it clear that while transport is a key to economic growth it is not the only part and no one can just create transport links and expect the growth to happen.”
Last night Berwick MP Alan Beith said: “If the government listened, really listened to the people of Northumberland and indeed most of the North East the A1 would have been improved years ago.”
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