Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) viability and (b) potential merits of the proposal from the Tees Valley Combined authority for a new crossing over the River Tees.

My officials have been working with National Highways and TVCA in progressing the scheme development and to understand its wider potential merits, to allow me to make a balanced decisions against other priorities for roads funding. I understand that TVCA officials have appreciated the unique level of direct support National Highways and DfT have been providing to the TVCA team and that a final report is due by March 2023.