Transport Insights

*UPDATE: I have now confirmed that the government has not green lit 28 local road schemes*

The Department for Transport announcement about a “green light for over 50 road and rail upgrades” has a lot of random numbers and very little detail but cannot disguise the fact that Labour is throwing a lot of money at road schemes in a climate emergency, with very little for rail.

One number that isn’t in the press release is the £1.5bn cost of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine, which I wrote about yesterday, and which dwarfs the “£27 million to reinstate passenger rail services between Portishead and Bristol city centre”.

Neither is the benefit cost ratio of 0.9 for the A66 scheme, representing poor value for money.

And it is unclear how much funding the government is giving the Midlands Rail Hub, other than that it is “significant”.

Among some obviously made-up numbers about road and rail schemes supporting tens of thousands of new jobs and new homes, there seems to be quite a sleight of hand over the number of road schemes that have actually been given the green light.

To support local journeys, the government is also committing support to continue 28 local road schemes vital to connecting and growing communities. These schemes, which include the Middlewich Eastern Bypass and A382 Drumbridges to Newton Abbot schemes, are not motorways or trunk A-roads, but junctions, bypasses and traffic-easing projects which will improve millions of congested commutes and unlock further housing and jobs.   

The only confirmed local schemes appear to be the Middlewich Eastern Bypass and the A382 Drumbridges to Newton Abbot scheme (pictured) – a large local major and a major road network scheme respectively. And it is unclear how much of the increased cost of these schemes the government will put up.

The others appear to have been given more an amber light than a green one, perhaps ongoing development funding. I’ve contacted the DfT for clarification.

But with five strategic road schemes, 28 local schemes, one rail line, three stations and a “hub”, I’m still struggling to get to 50.