The Government announced today that a £5 million scheme - the Pershore Northern Link Road - which straddles the Mid and West Worcestershire constituencies, would comprise a major part of the infrastructure improvements announced in yesterday’s budget. The project will look to ease congestion problems in the area.
Nigel Huddleston and neighbouring MP Harriet Baldwin have been lobbying extensively in conjunction with Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire County Council for this Regional Growth Fund investment. Supplementary funding will still be needed from the County Council but this is a significant step towards the road improvements long needed to ease congestion issues for local people.
The successful bid for a road connecting Pershore with the A44 was put together by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership whilst Nigel Huddleston and Harriet Baldwin were briefed last year on the plans.
Reacting to the announcement, Nigel Huddleston said: “I am delighted that £5 million has been allocated to this project and would like to extend my warm congratulations to the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and indeed everyone at the District and County Council who was involved in lobbying efforts for this important link road. Traffic problems in the southern half of my constituency have been an issue I have long been helping to address and I hope that reduced traffic for lorries and commercial vehicles on the A44 will create better traffic conditions around the west side of Evesham.
This is a great success but also cannot be seen as the end of our efforts to tackle traffic congestion in Worcestershire. The County’s new Transport Plan will represent another important step and I will continue my own efforts to make Worcestershire’s case to the Department for Transport in Westminster.
I look forward to seeing and hearing about the benefits this link road will bring to the everyday lives of my constituents.”