Regional chiefs bid tackle 'transport bias'

Ross Smith, The Journal

Council chiefs in the North-East will pile pressure on Government to change a transport funding system that is "skewed away from the region".

Major road and rail projects, including dualling the A1, are being held up because the Department for Transport bases its decisions on population and congestion.

Regional politicians and business leaders say the North-East will continue to lag behind the South if greater weight is not placed on economic development.

And senior councillors are likely to agree next week to lobby ministers to change the formula.
The call comes as the Government consults on whether to introduce single regional funding pots for transport, economic development and housing.

The Association of North East Councils believes this will allow more decisions over small-scale transport projects to be taken in the region, but says the system for allocating funding must change.

A report being presented to members on Tuesday says: "Currently the Department for Transport use a formula that is skewed away from the region due to its determinants (population, vehicle load per day, congestion and safety).

"The current criteria are too narrowly based - other factors that must be considered include the need to reduce regional disparities, promote social inclusion and support economic development."

This week, the Department for Transport confirmed its view is that the cost of dualling the A1 would not be justified on grounds of safety or congestion at present.

And the deadline for upgrading the road south of Newcastle has slipped from 2011 to 2016.