The proposed A38 project in Derby could be cancelled after an on-going government review of infrastructure projects.
The junctions’ improvement has been planned for more than 40 years and has cost millions so far – and the £250 million price tag could spiral upwards further, according to a report by the Derby Telegraph.
There is widespread speculation that the Government axe could fall on a large number of prestigious building and construction schemes when it holds its first major budget at the end of October. Among those that could be scrapped is the Government-funded £250 million A38 Derby junctions National Highways scheme, which would see a four-year construction programme to create flyovers and underpasses at the current Little Eaton, Markeaton and Kingsway Islands, said the report.
The project has already cost millions in time, buying up properties – especially on Queensway – fighting legal challenges from environmental groups opposed to the plans and consultation and design work. And it remains to be seen how much the project is now likely to cost. The last time anyone estimated how much the final total would be was in 2019 when anything between £200 million and £250 million was mentioned.
But given that the cost of raw materials has gone through the roof since the Covid pandemic and the UK tender price and building cost indices indicate a 3.2% rise in the price of materials in the next 12 months alone, it is probably likely to indicate a much higher cost than originally thought – perhaps making it a frontrunner for the Government as it seeks to fill its £22 billion funding blackhole.
At the end of July, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh commissioned a review of the Department for Transport’s spending portfolio including the A38 Derby Junctions and all current and future schemes. She said: “We will bring in external expertise and move quickly to make recommendations about current and future schemes.
“This review will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport, developing a modern and integrated network with people at its heart and ensuring that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time.
“I am determined that we build the transport infrastructure to drive economic growth and opportunity in every part of the country and to deliver value for money for taxpayers. That ambition requires a fundamental reset to how we approach capital projects – with public trust, industry confidence and government integrity at its heart.”
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