Lack of Interest in Telford Sparks Road Row

Telford MP David Wright has condemned the Minister for Roads for ignoring Telford with what Mr Wright describes as a “complacent” reply to his Parliamentary Question about the future of the M54-M6 Toll link road.

Mr Wright had put down a PQ asking what plans the Government had to take forward the plan announced by the last Government to construct a link between the M54 and the M6 Toll.

In the reply, the Minister for Roads and Motoring, Michael Penning, said he was unable to comment on the scheme despite it being, under the original plan, no cost to the taxpayer.

David Wright MP said:
“The Minister’s response was breathtaking in that it did not even address the question of what plans there were in place and how far things had moved since the announcement a link road was to be built. 

“Midland Expressways, which runs the M6 Toll, should in my opinion fund the link road as it will bring more traffic on to their road. Indeed, the original plan was that it would be funded from the refinancing of the company and that it would be free to road users.

“The link road is needed to help Telford gain easier and quicker access to the national motorway network and make sure the town is competitive into the future. I would have thought improving the ability of companies to compete and at no cost to the taxpayer would have been a higher priority for the Government, but they are just complacent and clearly more interested in attacking people with VAT increases than helping companies in Telford to compete for the future.”

The full text of Mr Wright’s Parliamentary Question and the Minister’s reply is copied below:

David Wright (Telford, Labour):
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the M54 to M6 toll road link; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Roads and Motoring), Transport; Hemel Hempstead, Conservative):
The Government have made clear their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record budget deficit in order to restore confidence in the economy and support the economy.

Ministers are therefore reviewing all Department for Transport projects and programmes as part of the spending review to ensure they represent good value for money and are consistent with the Government's objectives. I am unable to comment further on specific schemes until the spending review has been concluded.

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 13 July 2010, c626W)