Transport: North Shropshire

(asked on 5th January 2024) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of Network North funding will be allocated to improving public transport connections in North Shropshire constituency.


Answered by
Huw Merriman Portrait
Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This question was answered on 15th January 2024

Network North has committed to redirected money from HS2 with the £19.8 billion committed to the Northern leg of HS2 reinvested in the North, the £9.6 billion committed to the Midlands reinvested in the Midlands, and the full £6.5 billion saved through our rescoped approach at Euston being spread across every other region in the country. We continue to work with our delivery partners to develop plans and deliver all projects and schemes announced as part of Network North, including agreement of funding allocations.

Of the £9.6 billion for the Midlands, North Shropshire will benefit from funding from a number of schemes under Network North:

  • Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) – £1 billion of additional funding for BSIPs in the North and the Midlands. This includes nearly £230 million in investment to improve the frequency and services in the Midlands, such as ride upgrades in Shropshire.
  • Highways Maintenance – £2.2 billion of additional capital funding for local highways maintenance activities, such as the resurfacing of local road networks in the Midlands, which will be allocated from 2023/24 to 2033/34. The Shropshire Local Authority will receive an additional overall uplift of £154 million between 2023-24 and 2033-34, with £2.6 million for both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
  • Local Integrated Transport Settlements (LITS) – this is a new £4.7 billion fund for the 27 local transport authorities, outside city-regions, in the North and Midlands, including Shropshire. It will run for 7 years from 2025/26; funding allocations will be announced in due course.

It is important to note that it is at the discretion of Local Authorities to determine the allocation of funds from each of these schemes to specific projects and which schemes they choose to deliver within their areas.
Additionally, as part of Network North, we’ve committed to restoring the Oswestry to Gobowen line which will drive tourism, boosts local businesses, and encourage investment in the Shropshire area. We will announce further details in due course.

The Department has conditionally approved funding of £54.4 million towards the cost of the proposed Shrewsbury North Western Relief Road which would provide a new 4.5 mile single carriageway road linking the northern and western parts of Shrewsbury. Approval is conditional on Shropshire Council securing planning and other legal consents, carrying out procurement and submitting a Full Business Case.

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