Shropshire Star

George Osborne in pledge on M54 link road

Funding for a major link road connecting the M54, M6 and M6 Toll is set to be confirmed by Christmas, ministers have revealed.

Published

Chancellor George Osborne has said the road will go ahead despite the plans having previously been shelved.

And roads minister John Hayes has revealed that an announcement will come following the autumn statement on December 3.

Mr Osborne spoke of the importance of the M54 link road on a visit to the region.

He said the road would attract businesses to Shropshire and the West Midlands. He wanted to repeat the success of Jaguar Land Rover's £500 million engine plant, which was built alongside the M54 after public funding for a £36.7 million slip road from the motorway to the i54 business park.

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The link road is expected to run from the M54 between junctions one and two, past Featherstone and up to junction 11 of the M6 near Cannock.

The scheme was originally drawn up in 2003 and £112 million of funding was pledged by Macquarie Infrastructure Group, the M6 Toll operator, for a range of road improvements in the West Midlands.

Mr Osborne said: "We are investing a lot in our roads, more than the last government even though the economic situation they left was a very difficult one because we are determined to get the infrastructure in. And if you get the infrastructure in you get the businesses in and they create jobs. That's why it's so important.

"So specifically on the M54/M6 link road, that was cancelled by the last Labour government, that was exactly the wrong thing, in my view, for the long term future of the West Midlands.

"We have given the go-ahead to funding of that scheme and now we just need, because there was this pause by the cancellation, to put it back together again and get the details right. But we are absolutely committed to it. The scheme will go ahead."

The link road will make it easier for people travelling from Shropshire to access the M6 northbound.

It will also better link the M54 to the M6 Toll and generally heighten the profile of Shropshire's only motorway at a time when a campaign is underway for its classification to extend beyond Telford to connect Shrewsbury as well.

Mr Osborne said: "I'm a pretty regular user of the M6 myself. I know all about the challenges of that link road.

"That's one part of solving those challenges – not just so we get people moving, but also so that businesses say this is a great place to locate my business."

He said the Jaguar Land Rover plant alongside the M54 at junction two is an example of the industry that can be attracted by good motorway links.

Investment

The engine plant JLR will create more than 1,400 direct jobs and thousands more in supporting industries in Shropshire and the West Midlands. The Chancellor, who was visiting business close to the Shropshire border in Staffordshire, said: "Jaguar Land Rover's engine plant is the kind of investment that follows when you get the infrastructure right."

The Government commitment is a major boost to the region as it will attract potential new business like JLR to land alongside the M54. Potential investors may be asked to provide investment to help build any link road as part of a match-funding deal with the Government.

Roads minister John Hayes spoke of the commitment to the M54 link during a visit he made to the Highways Agency's national traffic operations centre in Quinton, which watches over motorways and major A roads in the Midlands including Shropshire.

He said the Government has committed about £1 billion for major improvements of the road network across the Midlands to add 118 extra miles of space for cars and lorries.

Mr Hayes said the Government had put the money aside for the link road project and would reveal more details following Mr Osborne's autumn statement.

Mr Hayes said:

"I know that it is important to local people that this happens, and again we will ensure that on that basis we make that information available to people so they know what is going on."

Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, said: "I have made a concerted effort, along with the other Shropshire MPs, to fight hard for Shropshire and Shrewsbury to be better connected to London by train, and am now turning my attention to facilitating better links by road. This is a priority for me and I am glad that the Treasury has committed to funding it."

Mark Pritchard, MP for Telford & Wrekin added: "This will be an important infrastructure project for Shropshire, which will create jobs and long term economic growth. Connectivity to the M6 will reduce journey times, encourage more inward investment, and reduce the impact on local villages"

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