13 March 2019
Improvements to cycleways and bus routes are set to appear across the North East thanks to £10 million of funding announced during the Chancellor’s Spring Statement (13th March).
Over half of the funding will provide improvements for cyclists, with new route connections in Newcastle and Sunderland, as well as increased connectivity to major employment areas including South Tyneside’s International Advanced Manufacturing Park and Sunderland’s Nissan plant.
Residents will also benefit from upgrades to local roads to better accommodate buses, more reliable bus services and traffic signal upgrades to reduce congestion and improve passenger journeys across the region.
Cllr Martin Gannon, chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee said: “The £10 million we have won for the region through the Transforming Cities Fund will go towards our immediate £22 million programme to provide smoother and cleaner journeys for local people. We will do this through investment this year including upgrading traffic signals to keep buses moving more efficiently and provide better cycle routes through our town and city centres and into employment sites.
“This funding represents key early investment in our transport network and is welcome news as we prepare a much larger bid for Transforming Cities funding, which will place sustainable transport at the heart of our plans to support economic growth in North East England.”
The Government announcement is the next step in the £2.5 billion Transforming Cities Fund, launched as part of the Industrial Strategy at the Autumn Budget 2017 to increase access to jobs and prosperity by addressing weaknesses in city transport systems.