News Release : 28 March 2001

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESSES FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN SOUTH EAST TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

The South East England Regional Assembly has welcomed today's announcement by the Government of new investment in the region's transport infrastructure but argues that further investment is required if the region is to continue to prosper.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Keith Hill MP today announced that the Government was allocating funds for the construction of the A3 Hindhead Improvement and for the proposed improvements to the M40 Junction 4/A404 Handy Cross Junction.

The Regional Assembly had recommended both schemes to the Secretary of State as being schemes of regional significance. Today's announcement means that the Government is committed to their delivery at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Government has also accepted the Regional Assembly's recommendations on the output of the M27 South Hampshire Integrated Transport Study that was considered by the Assembly at its plenary meeting on 14 February. This Study provides a framework within which local authorities and other partners can develop and implement low cost local measures that will help ease movement in the South Hampshire sub-region.

The announcement by Government to fund Phase 1 of the joint Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council backed South Hampshire Rapid Transit proposal provides further support for the framework identified by the M27 study.

The Government has also announced that it will fund the Fast Track bus scheme proposed by Kent County Council.

Councillor David Shakespeare, Chairman of the Regional Assembly, welcomed the additional investment in the region's transport infrastructure. Cllr Shakespeare said: "The South East region is the power house of the national economy, but its transport networks are suffering from increased congestion, which means increased costs and inefficiency to businesses as well as an increase in the environmental and social impact.

Despite the good news in today's announcement, there was disappointment within the region that three other schemes recommended to the Secretary of State by the Regional Assembly have not been included in the Government's funding plans. The three schemes put forward by the Regional Assembly were the A23 Handcross to Warninglid, the A2 Lydden to Dover and improvements at Junction 10 on the M20.

Cllr Shakespeare said: "Although the new investment announced today is warmly welcomed, it is disappointing that the Assembly's recommendation for these schemes has not yet been accepted by the Government. If the region is to continue to perform its crucial role for the national economy then the Government must substantially increase the scale of transport investment."

" Each scheme has arisen out of a pressing need to improve the strategic transport infrastructure serving both the region and the wider national interest. The Assembly will wish to discuss with the Government as a matter of some urgency the need for these schemes to be funded as soon as possible."

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
   
   
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
   
   
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
   
   
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
   
   
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007

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