Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP has today announced ring-fenced funding of up to £75 million for further work on capacity increases on the A27 east of Lewes.
LOCAL COUNCILS and communities will have the opportunity to make their case for the improvements to this section of road, building on the recently carried out Feasibility Study.
The scale of any works will also be impacted by the future transport infrastructure needs south of the M25, which are currently being assessed.
Although the A27 is the only east to west trunk road south of the M25, it has suffered from underinvestment for many years, with single carriageway sections creating traffic hotspots at Arundel, Worthing and east of Lewes. This has particularly affected towns including Worthing, Eastbourne and Lewes whose local economies have suffered from poor infrastructure.
The investment east of Lewes is part of a package of investment worth around £350 million in the A27 to address the key hotspots of congestion throughout the country.
George Osborne said: “Because Conservatives have a Long-Term Economic Plan, we are able to invest in East Sussex and commit up to £75 million for upgrade work on the A27 east of Lewes. This road has been top of my priority list thanks to Simon Kirby and the brilliant Conservative candidates Caroline Ansell and Maria Caulfield. They have been strong Conservative voices drawing attention to the need for investment on this road, and they were heard loud and clear across government.
“For years this road has suffered from neglect, but with strong Conservative voices on the South Coast, and Conservatives turning around the economy, we are now able to commit to funding the A27, to bring new jobs and opportunities to the area”.
Simon Kirby, is the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven and Chair of the A27 Reference Group which lobbied the Government for funding.
He said: “Today’s announcement is great news and will make a real difference for businesses and residents here in East Sussex. I lobbied the Government repeatedly on this issue and I am delighted that this work will result in a huge boost to the local economy here in our area. I am also hopeful these improvements will ease the burden on other roads in my constituency like the A259.”
Maria Caulfield, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Lewes, added: “I’m very pleased that this money has been allocated for improving the A27 which is desperately in need of investment to make it a safer and less congested road. The huge response from the many residents who live and work alongside the A27 and who have waited years for improvements, has strengthened the case for this investment. This money has been agreed despite the opposition of the local Liberal Democrat MP who has consistently opposed improving this stretch of road. I will continue to fight to ensure these improvements happen and the first step is to ensure local people will now be consulted as to how this money will be spent.”
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