UK Government announces new £1.7bn road and railway investment

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the move will put the UK on the path to economic recovery following the coronavirus crisis

The government has announced a new £1.7 billion road and railway investment to put the UK on the path to economic recovery following the coronavirus crisis.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that drivers and cyclists will benefit from a £1.7 billion Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund to improve roads, repair bridges and fill in millions of potholes.

He noted hundreds of millions of pounds worth of upgrades have already been made to the nation’s road and rail networks during the lockdown period with more work planned over the coming weeks and months.

The package will target around 11 million potholes, enhance road safety at key locations, install priority bus lanes and create projects to help lock-in improvements in air quality experienced during lockdown.

Mr Shapps said: “There has been a monumental effort in every corner of the country to slow the spread of the virus and protect our NHS. However, the battle is not over yet and we urge everyone to keep up the good work and only travel when they need to.

“To help those who do have to use public transport or get out on the roads to do their jobs, we’ve been accelerating infrastructure upgrades to make sure that, as we gradually reopen our society, everyone can benefit from smoother and safer journeys with better connections for our future.”

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