Heidi Alexander confirms A47 upgrade project is off

The Transport Secretary has confirmed that the A47 project from Wansford to Sutton is off. <i>(Image: NQ)</i>
The Transport Secretary has confirmed that the A47 project from Wansford to Sutton is off. (Image: NQ)
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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed that the A47 Wansford to Sutton scheme in Cambridgeshire.

She told MPs that the previous Conservative government promised infrastructure projects, but had “no plan to pay for them”.

The minister said: "It falls to this Government to make the difficult but necessary choices about future transport projects, to level with the British public to provide much-needed certainty and to govern with integrity.

"Only those projects that are fully costed, affordable and will deliver a return on taxpayers’ money will be given the green light under my watch.

"That means no more black holes and no more busted budgets, no more promising the moon on a stick – those days are over.

"We have decided not to progress the A47 Wansford to Sutton scheme.

"We are already investing over £500 million on improvements to the A47 corridor, with work to dual sections in Norfolk already under way, but it’s just not feasible to support further investment at this time.

"I understand some communities will feel frustrated, but by taking this decision, we are rebalancing funds towards those areas that for too long haven’t had the infrastructure investment they have deserved.

"The North and Midlands will now get a higher proportion of strategic road spend than we’ve seen in the last five years.

"I believe that’s the right and fair thing to do."

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