Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure major infrastructure projects in the North East are delivered on time and on budget.

This government is investing significantly in the North East to improve transport connectivity and grow the economy.

Following the recent Spending Review, we announced funding for Nexus to develop an upgrade to the signalling system on the Tyne and Wear Metro and confirmed our continued support for the Tyne Bridge and Central Motorway scheme. These major schemes will be for local delivery, with the North East Mayor and local authorities responsible for ensuring they are delivered on time and to budget. My Department maintains close contact with local partners responsible for delivering these schemes. In addition, the North East and Tees Valley mayoral combined authorities receive funding to deliver local transport projects through various funds, including the City Region Sustainable Transport and Transport for City Regions settlements (CRSTS and TCR). The respective Mayors for these areas are responsible for ensuring delivery of these projects and report regularly into the Department on progress.

Furthermore, the North East will benefit from the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine scheme, which we recently confirmed we will be progressing. We will develop the delivery timetable as part of the process of setting the next Road Investment Strategy.