Road Schemes both Scrapped and Funded in Autumn Budget
We were expecting news on the A38 this October, as it is part of the Government’s infrastructure and capital spending review. We thought a decision might be announced in the budget.
Ahead of this, our campaign submitted a report to the Treasury and the Department for Transport on why the A38 road expansion should be cancelled. This is a low-value scheme with significant environmental and social drawbacks. The intended goals of reduced congestion and improved housing access could be achieved with alternatives that are lower-cost, less disruptive, and have fewer environmental and social impacts.
Read our report: Why Cancel the A38 Derby Junctions Road Expansion Scheme
Here’s what the Autumn Budget 2024 budget announced:
The Good News
“4.73 As part of the government’s commitment to growth, it will take difficult decisions where there is not a clear value-for-money case to invest. After a review, the Transport Secretary has decided not to progress with the following unfunded and unaffordable road schemes on the strategic road network: A5036 Princess Way, A358 Taunton to Southfields, M27 J8 Southampton, the A47 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall Roundabout, and A1 Morpeth to Ellingham.”
The Bad News
“4.70 Progressing key strategic road schemes, such as dualling sections of the A47, where work has begun to improve connectivity between East Anglia and the North, and on the A57, where work will start in the coming weeks to improve journey times between Sheffield and Greater Manchester. Roads investment in 2025-26 will be funded through an interim roads settlement, and the third Road Investment Strategy will be set out in the next phase of the Spending Review. The government will also move toward feasibility work on improvements to the A75 by providing up to £5 million in 2025-26.”
It’s good news that the Chancellor has scrapped several harmful road schemes, like the A5036 through Rimrose Valley Country Park.
However, it’s disappointing that the A57 Link Road scheme went ahead in the Peak District. This will only push traffic jams further along, creating pressure for more roadbuilding in the National Park.
Yet, a decision has still not been made on the A38 Derby Junctions scheme. It’s possible a decision may be delayed until March 2025 or the outcome of our appeal.
We’re also awaiting a decision on our application for a hearing at the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, as the Government approves some roads and considers others like the A38, the climate crisis continues. Soon after deadly typhoons in the Philippines and catastrophic hurricanes in the USA, flash flooding has claimed over 100 lives in southern Spain. Roads were completely destroyed, vehicles piled up in the streets and supermarkets left empty, lacking enough bottled water for everyone.
These extreme weather events have been intensified by global heating. With each fraction of a degree of fossil fuel-driven warming, the atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to heavier bursts of rainfall.
This is why urgent action is needed to halt emissions and prevent even worse future disasters. It requires every country to do its part. With private vehicle use on roads as one of the UK’s major emission sources, the Government must redirect funds from road building into sustainable transport.
Our fight to stop the A38 expansion continues!