‘Deep concerns’ over the squeezing out of transport schemes in England’s more peripheral areas were expressed last week.
Norfolk County Council is to write to the Department for Transport to criticise the regional funding allocation process for parking ‘badly-needed local schemes’ because they would never be able to compete with schemes on routes of regional significance, such as improving the A14.
Adrian Gunson, cabinet member for planning and transportation at Norfolk, criticised the putting on hold of the £21M bypass for Long Stratton, which had received planning permission and was ready to be built. ‘There needs to be a system in place so that rural schemes of this nature up and down the country can progress to fruition.’
Cornwall County Council also criticised a decision by the Government to back the South West Regional Assembly’s recommendation that four major transport schemes proposed for the county should not be funded for at least 10 years. County leader, David Whalley, said schemes for St Austell and Camelford were ‘vitally important’.
Two A1 dualling schemes – for Morpeth and Belford/Adderstone in Northumberland – were also removed from the programme for the next decade.