Backing for Yorkshire and Humber Regional Transport Priorities

Regional Transport bosses have today backed a package of transport improvements worth more than £1.35 billion and aimed at meeting business and commuter travel needs in Yorkshire and Humber.

Members of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly’s Regional Transport Board have re-iterated support for 26 projects across the Region (full list attached below) and also endorsed four additional schemes in Leeds, Sheffield and Doncaster worth more than £160m, mostly for public transport improvement in Leeds and South Yorkshire and for improving the A164 between the Humber Bridge and Beverley.

Following today’s meeting to review progress on Yorkshire and Humber’s regional transport funding allocations (RFA), the Board endorsed the package as part of a wider funding bid that will be presented to Ministers next month. This is part of the Region’s overall advice to Government on regional funding requirements.

The four new schemes being supported are (total RFA support figures in millions):

• The second phase of the New Generation Transport scheme in Leeds - £98.8m
• Additional vehicles for the Sheffield supertram system - £14.3m
• A bus rapid transit network in South Yorkshire, to include linked park and ride sites in Sheffield and Doncaster - £30.5m
• Improvements to the A164 between the Humber Bridge and Beverley £11.7m

An additional £12.1m is to be provided for the White Rose Way Scheme, Doncaster.

Regional Transport Board Deputy Chair Tom Glossop said the decision to support these schemes had been taken following independent analysis. In addition, the package also includes measures to quickly boost transport expenditure across the Region to help address the economic downturn, by increasing funding for local transport projects.

“We want to ensure maximum use of the full regional funding allocation to produce good quality projects to provide some of the improved transport links the Region is in serious need of.’’’ he added.

Recent figures have shown Yorkshire and Humber has had a 12.1% rise in traffic since 1998, larger than the national average. This equates to a persistent rise in traffic of around 40,000 extra cars on the region’s roads each year.

Analysis was carried out on each existing and new scheme, providing an overview assessment of policy, value for money and deliverability for each scheme. If supported in the overall advice to Government on regional funding - currently being drawn up by regional agencies- the Board’s endorsement will be presented to ministers, who will progress each project with local authorities and others parties involved in sponsoring individual proposals.