Lincolnshire A-roads could benefit from multi-billion pound funding pot

As part of its transport investment strategy, the Government is proposing to allocate a portion of its ‘National Roads Fund’ for improvements to local authority A-roads.

This will be funded through vehicle excise duty, which in 2016/17 totalled £5.8 billion.

The funding can be used for improvements, such as bypasses, which help take traffic away from rural villages and towns. It also aims to help people get to work or school by better connecting towns and cities, unlock land for new homes, and improve business links.

The Government intends to carry out a consultation on its proposals in the autumn, with a view to funding being made available in the 2020/21 financial year.

Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways, said: “We’re pleased that the Government has recognised the importance of our local A-roads and is making a substantial amount of funding available for much-needed improvements.

“We have many roads in Lincolnshire that we feel deserve a share, including major strategic routes like the A158, A15, A16 and A17, and over the next few months will give careful consideration to what we might want to bid for.

“Things are obviously still in the early stages and some details are not yet clear, but we will be making a strong case for a fair share of that funding to come our way.”

• For further details on current major roads projects in Lincolnshire, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/majorprojects.