Minister snubs road scheme pleas

Businesses and MPs have criticised the scrapping of plans to widen the A1 between Leeming and Barton, which had been due to start in 2014.

Mr Hammond ruled out reconsidering the decision and said the scheme was "unlikely to be built in the foreseeable future" after being questioned by Thirsk and Malton MP Anne McIntosh.

He said: "We have sought to take some hard decisions, and some of the schemes that were being taken forward by the Highways Agency had no realistic prospect of being funded in this spending review period or the next one.

"In those circumstances, I have taken the view that it would be wrong to continue to spend money on development of a scheme which is unlikely to be built in the foreseeable future, and therefore the scheme had to be cancelled. I am sorry to have to disappoint."

Business leaders have expressed concern at the decision, which will leave a congestion blackspot on a key link from north to south which is used by many heavy goods vehicles. Yorkshire and Humber Chambers of Commerce has described the decision to scrap the scheme as "not only a major blow but a waste of the money already spent on developing the scheme".

Work was due to start after the widening of the section further south between Dishforth and Leeming was completed, but Ministers have confirmed it is one of a series of schemes to be dropped because of spending cuts. A host of other projects in Yorkshire face a year-long wait before they find out if they will get the go-ahead.

Up to 56 schemes around the country are set to compete for a share of a pool of just 600m over the next four years, major projects like introducing trolleybuses into Leeds and getting more vehicles for the Sheffield Supertram being pitched against each other.

But plans to allow motorists to use the hard shoulder on gridlocked sections of the M1 and M62 in the region have been approved, as well as the building of a 14m southern entrance for Leeds Station, opening up access to new parts of the city.

Speaking after quizzing Mr Hammond in the House of Commons, Miss McIntosh said: "In my view the road improvement would meet all the criteria set out by Secretary of State to the effect that it would reduce congestion, promote economic growth, encourage sustainable transport and in addition would increase road safety.

"It is a matter of disappointment that a major improvement on such a national road artery as the A1 is not proceeding, in favour of newer proposals.

"I questioned the Secretary of State in the House, asking him to reconsider his decision as this improvement scheme is vital to the economic growth of North Yorkshire.

"I am also writing to the Secretary of State and to county councillor Gareth Dadd, executive member for highways and planning services at North Yorkshire County Council, to ensure that this matter is kept under constant review."

On Monday, MPs on the Transport Select Committee will visit Hull as part of an inquiry into priorities for transport spending to boost regional and national economies.

They will take evidence from a series of witnesses including councils on both banks of the Humber, transport companies and business leaders.

Issues likely to be raised include the thorny subject of tolls on the Humber Bridge – which councils are trying to get scrapped – and projects that have been delayed on both north and south banks of the river. Transport Minister Norman Baker has agreed to meet south bank MPs to hear concerns over delays to improvements on the A160 which would upgrade access to the Port of Immingham.