Transport projects: huge benefits to operators
Massive £85bn economic benefit from transport upgrades
LOCAL trades and businesses want a nationwide package of transport changes from the next government.
The prioritisation of 13 crucial transport projects over the life of the next Parliament – 12 regional and one national – would bring the UK economic benefits worth a massive £85 billion, says the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents over 100,000 businesses.
These UK businesses have highlighted the key transport projects they believe are crucial to successfully growing regional economies. The projects include:
- London – Crossrail: Cost: £15.9bn l Benefit: £36bn
- South East – M20 Operation Stack: Cost: £48m l Benefit: £75m
- South West – A303/A358 Improvement: Cost: £184m l Benefit: £1.1bn
- East of England – A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton Scheme: Cost: £765m l Benefit: £2bn
- East Mids – A453 widening (M1 J24 to A52 Nottingham): Cost: £98m l Benefit: £320m
- West Mids – Birmingham Motorway Box: Cost: £149m l Benefit: £399m
- Wales – M4 Relief Road: Cost: £478m l Benefit: £2.1bn
- Yorkshire and the Humber – East Coast Mainline: Cost: £606m l Benefit: £1.7bn
- North West – Manchester Hub: Cost: £937m l Benefit: £3.7bn
- North East – A19 junction upgrades: Cost: £171m l Benefit: £707m
- Scotland – Forth Replacement Bridge: Cost: £1.4bn l Benefit: £6bn
- Northern Ireland – M1/Westlink: Cost: £46m l Benefit: £201m
- National – 3rd Runway at Heathrow: Cost: £9bn l Benefit: £30.7bn
The BCC said it recognised the pressure on the public finances, and the need for spending cuts to bring down the UK
