A £40M road scheme aimed at cutting congestion in Northumberland is to be submitted for government funding approval.
The proposed Morpeth northern bypass is estimated to cost £39.8M, with construction earmarked for between 2013 and 2015 – funding is being provided from the £457M regional roads allocation.
Northumberland county councillors met last week, and agreed to submit an application to the Department for Transport for preliminary approval for financial support, and the inclusion of the project in the major schemes programme.
The bypass would complete a £50M investment in creating a new transport link between the A1 trunk road and southeast Northumberland. It aims to tackle serious congestion in Morpeth, with through-traffic expected to be cut by 18% once the bypass is opened.
A report to the county council’s community services scrutiny committee says the new route is anticipated to have a ‘significant effect in the short term by providing an alternative route around Morpeth, and significantly improving access on to the A1 and, in the longer term, by supporting regeneration.’
However, it still has to be evaluated by the DfT and assessed against its criteria for major scheme funding. If the project is given the go ahead, the council would have to make a contribution of £3.98M.
The proposed Morpeth northern bypass is estimated to cost £39.8M, with construction earmarked for between 2013 and 2015 – funding is being provided from the £457M regional roads allocation.
Northumberland county councillors met last week, and agreed to submit an application to the Department for Transport for preliminary approval for financial support, and the inclusion of the project in the major schemes programme.
The bypass would complete a £50M investment in creating a new transport link between the A1 trunk road and southeast Northumberland. It aims to tackle serious congestion in Morpeth, with through-traffic expected to be cut by 18% once the bypass is opened.
A report to the county council’s community services scrutiny committee says the new route is anticipated to have a ‘significant effect in the short term by providing an alternative route around Morpeth, and significantly improving access on to the A1 and, in the longer term, by supporting regeneration.’
However, it still has to be evaluated by the DfT and assessed against its criteria for major scheme funding. If the project is given the go ahead, the council would have to make a contribution of £3.98M.
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