Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the condition and capacity of the road network linking the Port of Liverpool with the M57, M58 and M6 corridors; and whether additional funding is planned to support freight movement efficiency in the North West.

National Highways has considered the current performance and potential future needs of the A5036, M57, M58 and M6 corridor as part of its South Pennines Route Strategy. This is the principal evidence-gathering mechanism for the organisation to inform investment planning for future Road Investment Strategies. The interim reports were published in May 2023, and the final version of these reports will be published alongside the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) in March 2026.

Funding allocated to National Highways through the RIS is the primary source for improvements to the strategic road network serving key international ports and gateways.