Backing given for new transport schemes

Yorkshire and Humber’s transport chiefs have today backed four new schemes worth more than £26m and aimed at meeting business and commuter travel needs within the region.

Members of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly’s Regional Transport Board have today endorsed projects totalling more than £26m and covering areas including Leeds, Wakefield, Castleford and Rotherham.

Following the Regional Transport Board meeting, which reviewed progress on the Yorkshire and Humber regional transport funding allocations (RFA), the Board’s endorsement for the schemes will be presented to Ministers, who will progress each project with local authorities and other parties involved in sponsoring individual proposals.

Schemes endorsed by the Board (total RFA support figures in millions) are:

• Leeds City Region Rail Growth, £14.3m
• A636 Denby Dale Road Exceptional Maintenance Scheme, Wakefield, £3.347m
• A639 Colorado Way Exceptional Maintenance Scheme, Castleford, £4.030m
• A630 Centenary Way Exceptional Maintenance Scheme, Rotherham, £4,783m

In addition, Bradford Council has been invited to further develop its Connecting Airedale scheme and re submit it with a revised business case for support in the Full Review of Regional Funding Allocations which will take place later this year.

Chair of the Regional Transport Board, Cllr Mark Kirk said of the decision to support the schemes: “By endorsing these proposals the Regional Transport Board is supporting schemes that we believe will use the full regional funding allocation to produce good quality projects and deliver key regional policies.”

“It’s hoped that these schemes will provide some of the improved transport links that the region is in serious need of by tackling congestion in the major centres, reducing delays and avoiding prolonged disruption to repair work.”

The interim review was carried out to fill emerging gaps in the early to mid years of the RFA programme. A total of 24 schemes with a combined value of £333.4m were originally submitted. Independent analysis of each scheme was then carried out, providing an assessment of policy, value for money and deliverability for each scheme.

Following this analysis, the Transport Board then approved 10 schemes worth more than £130m at their April meeting. Today’s meeting approved the further schemes listed.