Government confirms multi-million pound transport investment
Millions of pounds are to be invested in improving transport in Warwickshire over the next three years.
Transport Minister Rosie Winterton announced last week that Warwickshire will receive £46.326m for delivering integrated transport schemes and highway maintenance improvements between 2008-09 and 2010-11.
The county will also benefit from a share of the Specific Road Safety Grant, which was announced last year. This will allow the authority to build on its excellent track record in reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Warwickshire’s roads.
The funding will be invested in improvements to public transport, walking and cycling, casualty reduction schemes, safer routes to school initiatives and highway maintenance. The money will be used to deliver the priorities identified in the county council’s second Local Transport Plan (LTP), which runs from 2006 to 2011.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see the county receive this funding commitment for the remaining years of the Local Transport Plan. This will allow us to plan with certainty to deliver real improvements to the transport infrastructure of Warwickshire.
“Over the past 12 months we have seen some key projects come to fruition – Coleshill Parkway railway station, Barford Bypass, further Quality Bus Corridors, expansion of the urban cycle networks, and a comprehensive programme of road and bridge maintenance. Work has also begun on the construction of the Rugby Western Relief Road.
"This settlement will allow us to deliver a large and diverse programme of work over the next three years, and continue to improve transport for the people of Warwickshire.”
The investment announced last week is part of the Local Transport Capital Settlement, given to local authorities each year to help them deliver transport improvements in their communities.