Industry responds to Government’s Spring Statement
In the wake of the Government’s Spring Statement, delivered yesterday by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the highways sector has issued some pertinent responses. Beatrice Barleon, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, EngineeringUK, commented: “The Chancellor’s recognition of the importance of investing in skills through a new training package for up to 60,000 new construction workers is […]
Highways industry responds to Chancellor’s speech
Yesterday’s Chancellor’s speech on Government plans for long-term economic growth included a range of commitments on infrastructure. Several senior and prominent figures from the highways sector have issued their responses and a selection of them are included below. Ian Edwards, President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis who was present in Oxfordshire for Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech […]
ITS UK calls ITMF cancellation a “hugely missed opportunity”
The Chief Executive, Intelligent Transport Systems UK has criticised the Government’s decision to cancel the £20 million Intelligent Traffic Management Fund, calling it “a hugely missed opportunity for the Government,” and strongly urging them to reconsider this move. The Department for Transport has written to English Local Authority Chief Executives this week to inform them […]
Using additional highways funding for surface treatments will bring savings and a reduction in carbon, says RSTA
Whilst investing this additional £500million highways funding into addressing the immediate pothole issue, consideration should also be made into investing into preventative maintenance, otherwise further roads will fall into decline in the future, according to the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA). Additional funding for highway maintenance announced in the Autumn Budget, presents an opportunity for […]
ITS UK sets out five key priorities for transport technology in Autumn Budget Submission
Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget on 30 October, ITS UK has published its submission, with five key priorities for the industry. The document, submitted to HM Treasury yesterday on 10 September calls for Government to: Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, said: “The upcoming Autumn Budget will be a critical moment for the UK’s […]
Wiltshire village ‘like the Bermuda Triangle’ after Stonehenge Tunnel cancellation
Residents of a traffic-blighted village close to where a now-cancelled tunnel would have been constructed near Stonehenge have talked of their concerns over the project’s cancellation and say they are “back to square one”. The two-mile tunnel, which would have cost £2bn, was cancelled by the government after a spending review. Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the Commons […]
Reeves scraps ‘unaffordable’ A27 Arundel bypass
Following the announcement of the cancellation of the planned Stonehenge Tunnel, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has now revealed that the bypass to take traffic on the A27 away from Arundel in West Sussex has also been scrapped, as the new Labour government insisted it had inherited a projected overspend of £21.9bn from the Conservatives. National Highways […]
Stonehenge Tunnel and Lower Thames Crossing at risk as Chancellor delays ‘unfunded’ transport projects
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is to delay a number of “unfunded” road and hospital projects as part of the Treasury’s anticipated plans to plug an apparent £20bn hole in spending left by the previous government, while committing to an above-inflation public sector pay rise. The chancellor, says The Guardian, is expected to argue […]