Millions of road-users in the East of England are set to enjoy safer, quicker and easier journeys, as Highways England reveals a multi-million-pound package of improvements to roads, pavements and bridges across the region over the next 12 months.
The announcement comes as the Government continues its drive to level up transport in regions right across the country, investing in vital infrastructure and boosting both connections and local economies as we build back better from the pandemic.
Well-known motorways and major A roads including the M11, A14, A1, A47 and A12 are all included in the package. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists all set to benefit from the planned works, which include road resurfacing, bridge joint replacements, the creation of cycle lanes, improved signage and landscaping. In total, Highways England will spend £218 million on more than 100 schemes across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:
As we build back better from the pandemic, this multi-million-pound investment will ensure millions of motorists and road-users in the East of England have access to better journeys, all while improving road safety and boosting the economy right across the region. The investment comes in addition to our plans for major dualling and widening schemes on roads such as the A47 and A12, which will begin construction over the next 2 to 3 years. This Government will continue to level up connections and improve infrastructure across the country, ensuring everyone, everywhere, can get around quickly and easily.
Martin Fellows, Highways England Regional Director, said:
Hundreds of thousands of drivers use our roads every day for work journeys, home deliveries and the movement of the goods and services, so it’s essential we keep them in a good condition to ensure safety and reliability.
With this investment, Highways England will continue to deliver the essential maintenance and upgrades throughout the region to improve safety and help keep drivers on the move.
Highways England will begin work on its comprehensive maintenance programme in the coming weeks, with schemes including:
A12 junction 15-18 and junction 25 – concrete repairs and renewals, road markings, studs and kerbs.
A11 Tuttles to Thickthorn - concrete renewals, studs and road markings.
A120 Crown Interchange - resurfacing
A14 junction 39 (Higham) to junction 42 (Westley) - resurfacing, studs, kerbs, road markings, restraint systems, traffic signs, bridge joints.
A414 M1 J7 (Park St Roundabout, St Albans) – resurfacing, bridge joints, traffic signs, road markings and studs.
A47 Longthorpe footbridge replacement – replacing bridge bearings.
This latest investment into the regions roads follows on from last year’s essential maintenance programme which saw Highways England pump £117m million into the completion of 123 road renewal and maintenance projects. Over the past 12 months, Highways England resurfaced 203 lane miles of motorways and major A roads in the East, using 221,177 tonnes of resurfacing material. A further 82,000 road studs were laid to help light the way for divers, 335 traffic signs were erected, 95 bridge joins installed, and 111 lighting improvements made.