The regional transport body is calling for a big slice of the 2020-2025 National Roads Fund to deliver 16 major road schemes to unlock economic growth.
A particular issue is the lack of East-West connectivity, with only one dual carriageway running across the country between Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow.
The bid comes after Northern leaders called on the Chancellor to commit to an ambitious ‘Northern Budget’ in the Autumn Spending Round.
Their three big asks are for: £7bn to fund a Northern Infrastructure Pipeline of road and rail projects that could begin in the next five years, £39bn for the whole Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme, and £1bn for Transport for the North for the next three years.
Within the bid are a dozen Major Road Network and four Large Local Major schemes that could be on site or completed by 2025.
16 ready-to-go schemes
Major Road Network schemes
- A595 Improvement Scheme (Bothel) – Cumbria County Council
- A1079 Improvement Scheme – East Riding Council
- A582 Dualling – Lancashire County Council
- Blyth Relief Road – North of Tyne Combined Authority/North East Combined Authority
- Durham Northern Relief Road – North of Tyne Combined Authority/North East Combined Authority
- Sunderland Transport Corridor – North of Tyne Combined Authority/North East Combined Authority
- Tyne Bridge & Central M’way – North of Tyne Combined Authority/North East Combined Authority
- Shalesmoor Gateway – Sheffield City Region
- A689 Corridor Improvements – Tees Valley Combined Authority
- A34 Cheadle – Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- A650 Tong Street – West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Dawsons Corner Jct & Stanningley Bypass – West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Large Local Major schemes
- Kendal Northern Access Route – Cumbria County Council
- The Rocket Junction – Liverpool City Council
- Wigan East-West – Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- A1237 Dualling (Phase 2) – City of York Council
In addition, there are four schemes already under consideration by the Department for Transport from previous rounds of funding.
- The Second River Tees Crossing – Tees Valley Combined Authority
- Darlington Northern Link Road – Tees Valley Combined Authority
- Sheffield Innovation Corridor – Sheffield City Region
- A500 Dualling Crewe to M6 – Cheshire East Council
Two other early-win major road network schemes have been announced but are not yet in the construction pipeline. These are York City Council’s A1237 Dualling (Phase 1) and Cumbria County Council’s Grizebeck Bypass.