Mayor angry as East Midlands road upgrades shelved

The mayor of the East Midlands has hit out at the government's "completely unacceptable" decision to propose cancelling two major road improvement schemes in Derby and Nottinghamshire.

The estimated £600m A38 scheme was approved by the government in July last year, with the A46 Newark Bypass approved in October.

Both areas were set to have roads significantly widened and in Derby, flyovers and underpasses constructed in order to cut congestion and increase capacity at Little Eaton, Markeaton and Kingsway roundabouts.

However, the government has announced that they are among several road projects that could be scrapped in order to pay for increased defence spending.

Transport funding in the East Midlands is particularly low and has faced decades of underinvestment.

In 2023–24, transport spending in the East Midlands was 54% of the UK average, the lowest level of any UK region or nation.

In a statement, the Labour mayor for the region Claire Ward said she had only been informed of the decision while Sir Keir Starmer was making his speech announcing a £15bn boost in defence spending.

"If mayors and their regions are to be seen as respected partners of government, we need to be treated like grown-ups and involved in trade-offs which affect our regions," she said.

"I understand that everywhere will need to contribute so that we can be safe in a less certain world.

"What I cannot understand is why the only region being asked to lose £900m of investment into its roads is the East Midlands – that is not equitable and fails to recognise the decades of underinvestment that have preceded today's decision.

"The East Midlands will play its part in delivering a safer world – we have strengths in defence and will be investing into those alongside the government.

"But people working in defence need good roads so that their staff can get to work, access their supply chains, and trade. We will not serve our defence sector well if we underinvest into its enabling infrastructure."

"The government must seek contributions from regions other than ours and from spending areas other than roads. This is what I am asking ministers for today."

A "Defence Investment Plan Funding explainer" published by the government outlines that £700m will be saved from the Department of Transport from its roads funding.

"The department will consult on reductions to the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) - including the potential cancellation of the A38 Derby Junctions and A46 Newark Bypass schemes, both of which are yet to enter contract and not as far along as other road schemes," it said.

"There will be stakeholder consultations before any final decision is taken."

The A38 scheme was part of the Department for Transport's (DfT) £27bn road investment strategy for highways improvements across England.

The project - which had been expected to start work in 2030 - had been designed to cut congestion on the stretch of the A38 where local traffic meets vehicles travelling between Birmingham and the M1.

A public consultation on how to improve the road started in 2001, but the project has been repeatedly paused, leading to the plans being redesigned and then challenged in court by campaigners.

Speaking in the commons after the announcement, the Labour MP for Mid Derbyshire Jonathan Davies warned the proposal to cancel the A38 project could mean the area faces an economic hit.

"Some local people would welcome that scheme not going ahead, particularly on environmental grounds, but others will see the cancellation as a brake on economic growth in the region," he said, adding: "We need economic growth to fund our defence."

The A46 project also includes a new flyover at the Cattle Market junction, a new bridge over the A1 and the widening of roundabouts at Farndon and Winthorpe.

On Monday, construction and development company Skanska said the contract with National Highways worth £297m had been cancelled.

A spokesperson for National Highways said it thanked Skanska for their "valuable contribution in progressing the project" and the next step for the body would be to procure the main construction works for the scheme.

Robert Jenrick, Reform MP for Newark, said: "I'm furious that such an important project for the area has been thrown into disarray.

"I have written to the transport secretary and demanded an urgent explanation for local residents. It is shameful that such a big decision has been snuck out by the government without any debate.

"I will keep campaigning to get spades in the ground as soon as possible so we can finally deliver this crucial project."

The government has been approached for comment.

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