Stourport Relief Road Fund

Lilian Greenwood Excerpts

Tuesday 21st January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

I congratulate the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier) on securing the debate, and on speaking so passionately about the transport needs in the historic and growing town of Stourport-on-Severn and across the wider region. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss transport in Worcestershire, and I can assure the hon. Member that this Government understand the great importance of transport to the people, communities and businesses that power local economies across the country.

In that context, although Stourport-on-Severn remains the focus of today’s debate, it would be remiss of me not to take the opportunity to highlight how the quality of journeys and transport across the county of Worcestershire is being improved. England’s roads are vital to our transport system—cars remain the most popular form of transport by a long way—and this Government are committed to maintaining and renewing our road network to ensure that it serves drivers, cyclists and other road users, remains safe and tackles congestion. That is why we are committed to a long-term programme of investment to improve road links throughout the region. The hon. Gentleman made reference to road investment strategy 3, which sets out the improvements to the strategic road network that are due to commence. We have an interim settlement for 2025-26, but the new road investment strategy will begin in April 2026.

There has already been significant road investment throughout Worcestershire, including a £43 million project to upgrade and improve capacity on the A38 in Bromsgrove. That scheme is under construction and will help to tackle congestion and improve local journeys, as well as directly supporting growth through 1,100 new jobs and 5,500 new homes. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that transport infrastructure can unlock opportunities and provide the opportunity for people to have new homes that are served in a sustainable way.

The A4440 Worcester southern link road opened in 2022. It is one of Worcestershire’s busiest roads and received investment of £54.5 million from the large local majors programme for upgrades, including the dualling of the entire length of the road from the A5 to the Powick roundabout, the new Carrington bridge, and a number of walking and cycling improvements to improve access to the city of Worcester. The A4440 has reduced journey times, helped to keep unnecessary traffic out of the city centre, and helped to drive economic growth in the region by improving access to and from the M5, as well as to the newly opened Worcester Parkway station. There are other examples, such as the Pershore northern link road, although I appreciate that it is some way from Stourport.

The region has also gained from investment and improvements to the strategic road network. Junctions 5, 6 and 7 of the M5 have benefited from improvements to road surfacing, road markings, signage and lighting, while a £15 million, 4.5-mile safety upgrade between junctions 6 and 7 has been completed, which impacts positively on journey times. I am sure the hon. Gentleman’s constituents benefit from that when they travel further afield.

As hon. Members will be aware, potholes are an all-too-visible reminder of the last Government’s failure to invest in our local road network. This Government are committed to ensuring that investment is provided, so that our roads facilitate the growth and development that the nation needs. That is why local areas, including Worcestershire, will benefit from the £500 million increase in road maintenance budgets for 2025-26. That marks a 50% increase in funding, with almost £1.6 billion allocated to maintaining and renewing England’s roads. The total allocation from the autumn Budget for maintaining and improving the network in Worcestershire is £29.5 million for the coming financial year. Hopefully, the hon. Gentleman’s constituents in Wyre Forest will see the benefit.

Of course, this is not just about roads; it is about railways as well. England’s railways should be a source of pride, because we are the country that created the railways. They are an iconic part of our heritage, and for more than two centuries, they have played an essential role in enabling people to see our country, spend time with loved ones and seize economic opportunities, although I appreciate that Stourport was built on the canals, rather than the railways. The new Worcestershire Parkway station, in the heart of the county, opened in 2020 and has significantly improved connectivity and journey times to major centres, successfully opening up Worcestershire to the whole country. It is a major success story for the region, with usage far exceeding forecasts, and more than 10,000 homes are planned for the area. The station is a really good example of how well-planned, integrated travel can drive regional growth, help to deliver the homes that Britain so desperately needs, and provide sustainable transport. Kidderminster railway station in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency benefited from a total of £4.3 million of growth deal funding. That work was completed in 2020 and has improved interchange facilities, providing better transport links to Kidderminster and the surrounding areas.

Of course, tackling some of the issues that the hon. Gentleman raised, such as congestion, is not just about building more infrastructure; it is also about changing the way that people travel. Buses remain the most used form of public transport across the country, but vital services have been slashed, and there is little accountability to passengers. Some 300 million fewer miles were driven by buses in England in 2024 than in 2010. The transformative work that this Government are doing will turn the tide by giving communities the opportunity to control local bus services and have a real say in building local bus networks that work for them. Following the Budget, we have allocated funding of £9.3 million for Worcestershire in the coming year to support and improve local bus services.

I should mention, alongside the investment made for drivers and public transport users, that this Government are deeply committed to improving the experience of people who choose to walk or cycle. We have local cycling and walking infrastructure plans that allow local authorities to take a long-term approach to developing their networks. Worcestershire county council is developing eight of these plans—for Evesham, Redditch, Wyre Forest, Droitwich Spa, Malvern, Pershore, Bromsgrove and Worcester. All those will help to reduce journeys by other forms of transport, improve health and wellbeing, reduce congestion and improve air quality across the county.

I turn to the issue of a relief road in Stourport. The town of Stourport-on-Severn has played an important part in the nation’s industrial and cultural history, going back to 1768. I think it was the canals that really got it going. I acknowledge and fully understand the difficult challenges that congestion and uncertain journey times on key routes may cause to businesses and commuters in a growing and popular town such as Stourport, particularly perhaps in the summer months, as I know it is a place that people like to visit and a tourist destination. I also understand the potential impact on growth, investment and employment in the area.

The Department for Transport continues to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other partners to deliver a well-designed, integrated and affordable transport network that plays a vital role in unlocking homes and delivering wider benefits, including reduced congestion and carbon emissions, and improved air quality. There is also the important benefit of ensuring that communities can access vital jobs and services. For almost everyone, the road network plays a vital role in our daily life, but as the Chancellor has clearly set out, this Government inherited an extremely challenging financial situation; the previous Administration left a £22 billion public spending gap in this year alone. The gap between the desire for schemes and the money available to deliver them has become abundantly clear.

The hon. Gentleman talked about a number of potential developments in his area. Within this challenging context, as I am sure he knows, it is for Worcestershire county council to decide which local road schemes, or indeed other transport schemes, should be proposed and progressed as part of its strategic transport plans, and what should be prioritised in Worcestershire’s local travel plan. The relief road was considered some time ago—I understand it was almost two decades ago—and obviously it has not featured in more recent local travel plans. I know that he is already engaging with the county council on its future priorities. If the local authority needs further guidance in developing its transport plans, I am sure that my officials will be more than happy to provide that additional help and support.

The hon. Gentleman mentioned the third road investment strategy, and I have already touched on the timeframes. Obviously, the total funding available for the road investment strategy over the five years of RIS3 will be established in the spending review. He can correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe that the suggested Stourport relief road would form part of the strategic road network, so it would not be dealt with in RIS3. Such developments would be brought forward by the county council.

In the past, the county council has benefited from the major road network. If it develops plans, I am sure we could consider them when future funding became available for such programmes. However, it is for the county council to start developing those plans; I am sure my officials would be happy to offer advice and assistance. This would enable the hon. Gentleman and his constituents to put forward a convincing case when future programmes of funding became available.

I conclude by thanking the hon. Gentleman again for securing this debate. As I know he appreciates, transport plays a central role in lives and livelihoods across the country, including in his constituency and the town of Stourport-on-Severn. He has rightly highlighted his concerns about the pressures in Wyre Forest, and in Stourport in particular. I reassure him and the House that the Government are providing record levels of investment for road, rail, bus and active travel projects across the country, including in Worcestershire. I assure him that this Government have heard the case clearly, and will continue to take action to address the issues debated today. I look forward to hearing more from Worcestershire county council—or its successor bodies, as I understand it has expressed an interest in local government reorganisation—in the months and years ahead.

Question put and agreed to.