Transport Insights

We’ve now worked backwards to the point where the government is still not being straight about shelving road schemes in the road investment strategy (RIS 3) and is looking to cut other “uncommitted” roads funding – on safety perhaps?

Early yesterday people were working backwards from news that National Highways had cancelled its £300m contract with Skanska to build the A46 Newark Bypass.

As I reported, the Department for Transport, which knew very well what was going on, was referring enquiries to National Highways, on the grounds that it was a supply chain issue.

It then emerged that the decision had come from the other end as National Highways referred me to “The Defence Investment Plan Funding explainer”, which said:

DfT will provide savings of up to £700m from its roads funding. The Department will consult on reductions to the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) – including the potential cancellation of the A38 Derby Junctions and A46 Newark Bypass schemes, both of which are yet to enter contract and not as far along as other road schemes. There will be stakeholder consultations before any final decision is taken.

Utterly gutless and inept. The Treasury doesn’t seem to realise that the A46 scheme is not “yet to enter contract”. There may not have been notice to proceed with the works but the contract was there and had to be cancelled. Maybe someone conflated “contract” with “construction”, or were they just spinning?

The news that both the A38 (pictured) and A46 schemes have been shelved was welcomed by many campaigners, but went down very badly with Claire Ward, mayor of the East Midlands.

In a statement, she described it as “totally unacceptable to me”, adding:

I was informed of this decision as the Prime Minister was delivering his speech on the Defence Investment Plan. If Mayors and their regions are to be seen as respected partners of government, we need to be treated like grown-ups and involved in trade-offs which affect our regions.

She also asked ministers to “seek contributions from regions other than ours and from spending areas other than roads”.

Interestingly, the explainer also said:

DfT will also explore limited reductions to as yet uncommitted roads funding. The government remains committed to protecting funding for local authorities to mend potholes and repair their roads, protecting investment in rail infrastructure, including Northern Powerhouse Rail, and the proposals will not impact bus or rail services.

So we’re back to funding for mending and repairing potholes (no mention of preventative maintenance) but no guarantee – which they could have provided – that safety funding will be protected.

The thing about safety, is that you can always label it as your top priority, while spending inadequate amounts of money on it.