Sheffield area to benefit from £113m transport boost

Date: 28/1/2013

Sheffield and its surrounding area are to see £113 million of funding used to improve transport infrastructure over the next ten years.

As well as the city centre, the funds will cover the rest of South Yorkshire and sections of north Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, reports the Star.

The region is to be one of four areas of the UK which is given control over its own transport funding, meaning that the decisions on what needs to be done will be made locally.

In the past, local authorities have had to take their plans to the government to be rubber stamped, but this will no longer be the case.

As part of Sheffield's City Deal scheme, the cash has been awarded to the area by ministers in order to help the local economy grow.

This latest funding follows the announcement of a number of other transport programmes for the region.

These include £2 billion for an overhaul of Sheffield's roads, the electrification of the Midland Main Line railway at a cost of £500 million and £300 million to open the hard shoulder of the M1 as a fourth lane for parts of South Yorkshire and north Derbyshire.

Tim Hale, Chair of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Transport Forum, told the news provider: "This can only be good news for the Sheffield City Region. The work to repair our potholed streets is underway, and the announcement on the High Speed rail station for the area is eagerly awaited."

He went on to say that the work is hoped to ease congestion at the various bottlenecks in the city and help it to flourish in business terms.

Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership Development Agency Chairman James Newman also welcomed the news: "I am pleased the government has listened to local leaders to allocate major transport funding to the region."

A number of cities across the UK are being granted funding to improve their transport infrastructure, as it is vital to help facilitate growth and bolster the economy.

Posted by Mary Treen

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