Good news on £15m road funding
Adam Hewitt • Published 27 Oct 2010 12:30
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ROADS funding frozen as part of the Government’s austerity drive should materialise after all - but maybe less than hoped for.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has given 'conditional approval’ to £15m for roads schemes linked to the Reading Station project, including the area around the two proposed new station entrances and improvements to the Norcot Road roundabout and installing a bus lane nearby.
The money was frozen in June but the DfT said this week it will begin talks with Reading Borough Council on the “costs and scope” of the scheme and consider “increasing local contributions”. The council is paying £1m towards the works already.
Both Reading MPs have lobbied for the money at the highest level and gave a cautious welcome to the news.
Reading East MP Rob Wilson said today: “It was very important to take stock after the election and review Labour’s spending commitments as quite a number of them were not value for money. I am pleased that following my two discussions with the Secretary of State, five others with other Transport Ministers, plus the meeting I arranged for Pat Baxter and my colleague Alok Sharma with the roads minister, that we have finally moved forward. It is clearly a very good sign, but there is still a lot more work to do if we are to be given the money to go ahead with the scheme.
“I have spoken with Ministers this morning and, specifically, I know that the Secretary of State, Philip Hammond, believes that all schemes still need to press down on their costs. Contractual costs have fallen since 2008 and where schemes have big developments associated, the Department for Transport will be looking for further contributions. It will now be up to the Borough Council officers to try to deliver on any new criteria and to get a better deal for taxpayers. I have high hopes that we can now deliver this important project."
He said costs had fallen since 2008 and contracts needed to reflect this.
Reading West MP Alok Sharma said: "It's positive news and demonstrates that progress is being made, and we have much hope the council will be able to reach a satisfactory agreement with the DfT, since this is such an important scheme for Reading. It enhances the overall Station development."
Council leader Andrew Cumpsty said the money, plus the revamped station project whose funding was confirmed by the Government last week, will “help to stimulate recovery, private investment and jobs”.
A final decision will be made by January.
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