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Rosie Winterton confirms three-year £4billion investment in local transport

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (175) issued by The Government News Network on 27 November 2007

A further £4billion will be invested in delivering better, more integrated local transport over the next three years, Transport Minister Rosie Winterton confirmed today.

The Local Transport Capital Settlement will allow local authorities to plan and fund important community projects, such as bus infrastructure improvements, cycle lanes, new road safety measures, better street lighting and road maintenance.

The funding announced today is in addition to the £7.9billion planned to fund major transport projects across the regions between 06/07 and 2015/16.

Rosie Winterton said:

"Well planned local transport can transform communities. We have already invested more than £8 billion over the past 7 years on projects to support this and I am today confirming £4 billion of sustained investment to continue to support local transport for the next three years.

"Tackling congestion, improving road safety and providing genuine alternatives to the car are essential to people's quality of life and the economy. And without good local transport none of this is achievable.

The Eddington transport study demonstrated how small local transport improvements that tackle congestion, improve integration and provide genuine alternatives to the car often provide the best returns.

"We are already making great progress in reducing road casualties, improving the condition of local roads and encouraging cycling. And through our commitment to long term funding for local transport we can continue the momentum."

The Local Transport Capital Settlement is allocated to local authorities to help them meet the needs of their communities. Today's investment includes £2,268million for highways capital maintenance and £1,768million for smaller transport improvement schemes.

Local authorities will also benefit from a share of a £286m grant to improve road safety over three years, announced last year.

Notes to Editors

1. This year's investment delivers £4.036billion in funding for 2008/09 until 2010/11. It confirms the indicative integrated transport allocations of £1,768 million across the country for 2008/09 to 2010/11 announced last year, which were subject to this year's spending review.

2. The £286 million specific Road Safety Grant allows local authorities to better tackle local road safety issues. They can use it to fund any tool they believe will best meet local need - from safety cameras to education initiatives.

3. Of the funding for highways capital maintenance, £2,109 million is being distributed formulaically. The remaining £159 million has been or will be allocated in response to specific bids. These include bids for major maintenance and bridge strengthening on the primary route network and, for smaller authorities, bids for exceptional maintenance schemes.

4. The highways capital maintenance formula has recently been revised, following a consultation. The results of this consultation, 'Local Transport Planning: The Next Steps', which also asked about the future of Local Transport Plans and reporting on progress, can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localtransportbill/govresponse

5. The second Local Transport Plans (LTPs) were submitted in 2006 by all English local transport authorities outside London, containing an integrated transport strategy for their area and a costed programme of measures to improve local transport over the period 2006/07 to 2010/11.

6. Full details of individual local authority LTP allocations throughout England will be available on the Department's website http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/capital/ltpsettle07/

7. The £7.9billion for major transport projects was announced last year as part of the Regional Funding Allocations exercise. The Government accepted regional advice for major transport projects to fund in the period between 06/07 and 2015/16, subject to the normal approvals process.

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Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk