Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page six of his Department's policy brief, How increased Connectivity is Boosting Prospects of Rural Areas, published in December 2014, how much of the £15 billion investment in road infrastructure will be used to promote rural connectivity.

In total we are investing £15.2 billion in England over 100 major schemes to enhance, renew and increase the connectivity of the Strategic Road Network between 2015/16 and 2020/21. This investment will be used to complete current road schemes, begin construction of previously announced road schemes and also start construction of 69 new road schemes by 2020/21.

This includes investments to key routes in rural areas and the periphery of the country – including the A1 north of Newcastle, an investment package worth around £290 million, the A47 in Norfolk, (over £300 million) and on the A30 in Cornwall (£100-250m).

Also included is a £2 billion commitment to turn the A303 into a new strategic corridor to the South West.

The strategic road network does not work in isolation, so that is why this government is also investing in roads managed by local authorities as part of the planned £12 billion ‘Growth Deals’.