Pressure Mounts on Burnham as East Midlands Fights to Save £600m Road Upgrades

Regional leaders have stepped up calls for the Government to reverse proposals that could shelve two long-awaited highway improvement schemes, warning the East Midlands cannot afford to fall even further behind on transport investment.

Political pressure is growing on Prime Minister Andy Burnham after senior figures in the East Midlands urged the Government to rethink plans that could see two major road schemes abandoned as part of wider spending reviews.

The proposed improvements to the A38 in Derby and the A46 Newark Bypass, together valued at around £600 million, are among a number of nationally significant highway projects reportedly under consideration for cancellation as ministers seek to redirect funding towards increased defence spending.

However, East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward has argued that investment in national security should not come at the expense of vital transport infrastructure needed to support regional growth.

Speaking about the proposals, Ms Ward said the debate should not be framed as a choice between defence and infrastructure.

"We absolutely recognise the importance of defence and understand the role our region plays," she said. "But the East Midlands should not have to sacrifice the transport investment needed to unlock economic growth."

While acknowledging that no final decision has been made, she said she would continue lobbying the Government to ensure the region receives the infrastructure investment it has waited decades to secure.

A Region Already Underfunded

The concerns come against a backdrop of longstanding disparities in transport spending.

Latest figures show that transport investment in the East Midlands during 2023-24 stood at just 54% of the UK average, making it the lowest-funded region or nation in the country.

Regional leaders argue that cancelling major road improvements would only widen that gap, undermining efforts to attract investment, improve connectivity and support housing and employment growth.

A38 Upgrade Decades in the Making

The proposed A38 Derby improvements have been under discussion for many years and form part of the Department for Transport's wider £27 billion Road Investment Strategy.

The scheme would transform one of Derby's busiest corridors by increasing capacity and easing congestion at three key junctions:

• Little Eaton Roundabout

• Markeaton Roundabout

• Kingsway Roundabout

Plans include a combination of flyovers, underpasses and carriageway widening designed to improve traffic flow where local journeys intersect with longer-distance traffic travelling between Birmingham and the M1.

Construction had previously been expected to begin around 2030.

Newark Bottleneck Targeted

The separate A46 Newark Bypass project would dual approximately 6.5 kilometres (four miles) of the existing single carriageway between Farndon and Winthorpe, removing one of the most persistent congestion hotspots on the strategic road network.

The proposals also include:

• A new flyover at the Cattle Market junction.

• A new bridge crossing the A1.

• Improvements to the Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts.

The scheme received Government approval in October 2025, but its future is now uncertain.

Local Leaders Join Campaign

Newark and Sherwood District Council leader Paul Peacock has also written directly to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to reconsider any decision to withdraw funding.

He said congestion on the single carriageway section of the A46 regularly causes lengthy delays that extend into Newark itself, affecting residents, businesses and freight movements alike.

Regional leaders argue that both schemes are critical pieces of infrastructure that would improve journey reliability, support economic development and strengthen connections across the East Midlands.

With ministers yet to make a final decision, campaigners are hoping the Government will reconsider before decades of planning and development are consigned to history.