Craig Tracey, Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth, saluted the decision by the Communities Minister to advance a bid that would see significant funding for A5 infrastructure improvements.
This follows a campaign which the local MP has led to urge that both central government and developers improve the A5 transport corridor as an urgent priority.
Secretary of State Sajid Javid announced that the Housing Infrastructure Fund bid was moving forward and in his response to Craig wrote:
“We will be taking the above Housing Infrastructure Fund - Forward Funding project through to the co-development stage of the competitive HIF process. During the co-development process we will be supporting local authorities to develop their projects, ahead of them producing a business case. As this is still a competitive process, success at this stage is not a guarantee of HIF funding. The business case will be assessed and this will inform the final funding decision.”
Craig Tracey MP commented:
“This is a step in the right direction and amounts to a potential £24.5m available from central Government which Warwickshire County Council bid for to be able to improve the A5 road network. I was more than happy to support the bid and have made Ministers very aware of the importance of the A5 to residents in North Warwickshire. Moreover this road is vital to the regional economy and local businesses.”
North Warwickshire Borough Council Leader David Humphreys, who has met with both the Secretary of State for Transport and Local Communities in person about the A5 said:
“I am pleased that it appears our concerns are being listened to by Ministers. Residents are fully aware of the need to improve the A5 and the congestion issues that we currently face on this stretch of road. Warwickshire County Council will now be working with the Government to proceed this bid and we as the Borough Council will continue to support the process.”
