The Government is to commit to a massive £5 billion spend on infrastructure including funding for 29 major road projects, including upgrade for the A15 in the region as well as £96 million to accelerate investment in town centres and high streets on further transport projects and improvements to high streets and parks.

The announcement, due to be made later today, supports Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ‘build, build, build’ plan and will be backed up by the launch of the Government’s National Infrastructure Strategy in the Autumn which will set a clear direction on core economic infrastructure including road, rail, waste, flood defences and energy networks.

Mr Johnson will also promise to carry out a review to look at how to improve road, rail, air and sea links between the four nations to create a more connected United Kingdom.

A new unit within government, Project Speed, will be asked to identify infrastructure schemes that can be fast-tracked as well as a possible reform of the planning system. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will then put the ‘infrastructure revolution’ at the central of the mini-Budget expected in July. There is also an expected announcement on how this will tie-in with new opportunities for apprentices.

This ‘New Deal’ to ‘rebuild Britain’, says Mr Johnson, means ‘Britain can not only bounce back, but bounce forward-stronger and better and more united than before.’

Highway News will have more later…