Half of the major upgrades on key roads promised by the Government are yet to start
Planned upgrades and projects to Britain's roads, originally unveiled in 2014, have been delayed, it was claimed last night
HALF of road upgrades promised by the Government have been delayed, it was claimed last night.
A total of 43 major upgrade projects unveiled since 2014, as part of the “biggest, boldest and most far reaching roads programme for decades”, are yet to be started according to campaigners.
And only 34 projects are currently under active construction — with 10 more still in planning stages.
Transport ministers promised to “dramatically improve our road network and unlock Britain’s economic potential” — but only a handful of projects started since the launch of the Road Investment Strategy in December 2014 have been completed.
The £15.2 billion project was designed to allow dozens of major schemes “enhance, renew and improve the network.”
But last night critics slammed the slow rate of progress revealed by the Lib Dems and the House of Commons Library from road data group CBRD.co.uk.
New Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable claimed the figures showed a Government “on the road to nowhere.”
He added: “With the economy deteriorating and Britain the bottom of the growth league for developed economies perhaps ministers think they can’t afford to keep their promises but investment would get the economy moving again.”
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And the sluggish rate of improvements was also blasted by Government MPs.
Conservative Charlie Elphicke hit out: “Motorists are taxed until the axles groan and diesels are unfairly demonised.
The Dover MP added: “Meanwhile road investment is falling behind. This war on the motorist must end. He demanded: “fewer car taxes and more road investment.”
And Tory Grant Shapps, who heads up the British Infrastructure Group of MPs, added: “As we gear up for Brexit, nothing would demonstrate our determination to drive our economy forward more than building our road network.”
Campaigners FairFuelUK also claimed: “The Government doesn’t care about the motoring economy, preferring to spend billions on HS2 to get to Birmingham 15 mins quicker.”
Boss Howard Cox raged: “The Government is clueless on transport and economically inept when it comes to hard working drivers. They should recognise that 93% of all journeys are by road.”
Last night a Department for Transport spokesman told The Sun: “The CBRD figures are wrong and the Department for Transport does not recognise them.
“Schemes flagged as being ‘on hold’ are in fact underway and progressing well.”
They added: “The Government is in the midst of a £23 billion programme of investments in England’s roads - £15 billion of that is going on England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads – as set out in the Road Investment Strategy published in December 2014.”
But the AA hit back: “In March the National Audit Office claimed that the Road Infrastructure Strategy was under pressure and suggested that some schemes would need to be dropped.
“At the time both Highways England and the Department for Transport dismissed these claims, but these concerns have not gone away.”
They added: “The public should be told which schemes have stalled so that they know if they are stuck on a road to nowhere.”