Transport Insights

With the fallout from the shelving of two National Highways road schemes continuing, the BBC’s reporting has reflected to some extent the fact that not everyone thinks new roads are a good idea, although thankfully the Lower Thames Crossing has been spared!

In the midlands, the BBC asks a question that presumes that new roads are a good idea:

Is the East Midlands being neglected again with scrapped road schemes?

The article focuses on regional mayor Claire Ward, who is still cross:

Ward felt she’d been making progress on behalf of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, securing, for example, £2bn of funding for local transport projects in last year’s Spending Review.

So what has gone wrong?

So far we have “neglected” and “wrong” but if you can read past what fascist reform thinks there are at least alternative voices:

The road schemes are not universally popular, either, and local campaign groups have long argued against them on environmental grounds.

Paul Smith, who chairs the parish council in the village of Winthorpe, near the A46 Newark bypass, says “a lot of people are relieved”.

And the article links to an earlier article with Derby City Council leader Nadine Peatfield questioning the case for if the “recently shelved A38 scheme” in the city, and comment from Adrian Howlett, from the Stop the A38 expansion group:

Howlett said the group was “disappointed” that there had been no announcement that other options would be explored, and described the current scheme as “completely outdated”.

He added: “Let’s actually get some investment into Derby that isn’t just a massive roads-dependent scheme and actually looks at all the options.”

Which is a reminder that the shelving of the two schemes is not the government seeing sense, just cutting transport investment.

On that theme, further south, the BBC reports:

The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) has been spared from a fresh round of government spending cuts after ministers confirmed the long-awaited £11bn road scheme remains on track.

The crossing, designed to ease congestion at the Dartford Crossing and improve links between Essex and Kent, has faced repeated delays but moved a step closer to becoming reality earlier this year when preparatory works began.

The word “spared” puts me in mind of the film The Shipping News, and the scene where Billy teaches Quoyle how to think like a reporter:

Billy: It’s finding the centre of your story, the beating heart of it, that’s what makes a reporter. You have to start by making up some headlines. You know: short, punchy, dramatic headlines. Now, have a look, what do you see?

[Points at dark clouds at the horizon]

Billy: Tell me the headline.

Quoyle: Horizon Fills With Dark Clouds?

Billy: Imminent Storm Threatens Village.

Quoyle: But what if no storm comes?

Billy: Village Spared From Deadly Storm.