Transport projects worth £410 million delivering key infrastructure in the South East received the green light from the Department for Transport today (6 July).

The South East England Regional Assembly and partners’ advice on transport priorities for the region, including improvements on the A3 at Hindhead in Surrey, has been accepted in full by Government. Minister Douglas Alexander also congratulated the region for reaching high level consensus on such a difficult task.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the Assembly, said:

“This is excellent news for the region, which shows Ministers are at last beginning to recognise the South East’s need for better infrastructure and the strength of our argument. Identifying priorities for investment involved the region having to make difficult choices.

“The A3 Hindhead improvement has a significance beyond the region and while I’m delighted the Government has given it the green light, funding a nationally important scheme regionally will delay investment elsewhere in the region. We will continue to argue for additional Government investment to support sustainable development in the South East.”

Schemes that have been given the go-ahead include:

• A3 at Hindhead - new dual carriageway and a tunnel that will take the A3 under a National Trust beauty spot
• Central Milton Keynes public transport improvements
• A27 Southerham to Beddingham road safety improvements
• M4 Junction 11 and Mereoak – improvement of junction to include public transport
• East Kent Access Road scheme phase 2 – improvements on the A256 and A253
• Bexhill to Hastings link road.

The region is awaiting approval of its funding priorities for housing and economic development and a response to its bid for an additional £77m to establish a Regional Infrastructure Fund. It is also continuing to push for regional budgets to be extended to cover rail investment.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The region's advice on transport, housing and economic development was submitted to Government in January 2006.
2. Regional Infrastructure Fund - an idea put forward by the region as part of its advice to Government on regional spending earlier this year (January 2006). A Regional Infrastructure Fund would add to the investment available by forward-funding infrastructure to support new development and attracting additional private sector finance.
3. Improvements to the A3 at Hindhead - The new dual carriageway would start at Hammer Lane on the Surrey Hampshire border to Boundless Road near Thursley. The tunnel would take the A3 past Hindhead and under the Devil's Punch Bowl.
4. The South East England Regional Assembly is the “regional partnership” 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.
5. The Regional Assembly is made up of 112 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) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
6. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
• It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
• 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.
• 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