A19 Upgrade Gets £51 Million Boost – Work Starts Early!
Big news for drivers on the A19! A whopping £51 million upgrade has kicked off six months ahead of schedule, Transport Minister Baroness Vere revealed today (8 October 2020). This early start shows the government is dead serious about levelling up Northern transport.
Downhill Lane Junction Set for a Major Makeover
The multi-million-pound works at Downhill Lane, led by Highways England, promise smoother journeys through one of the North East’s busiest junctions. Commuters, especially those working at the nearby Nissan factory, can expect less congestion and quicker trips.
Leaders Join Forces to Turbocharge Northern Transport
Baroness Vere is also chairing a virtual meet-up with local bigwigs including North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll and North East Joint Transport Committee Chair Cllr Martin Gannon. The Northern Transport Acceleration Council (NTAC) will discuss the A19 upgrade and other vital local projects accelerating Northern infrastructure.
Ministers and Officials Praise Early Start
“I am delighted work has started early on this important road upgrade for the North East; it’s another example of our commitment to levelling up Northern transport infrastructure and to bringing projects forward where we can,” said Baroness Vere.
“It’s also the sort of accelerated works we want to achieve through NTAC in the future, to help us build back better and create more reliable, more connected, and better-quality transport options.”
Jim O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Highways England, added: “By bringing forward this multi-million-pound scheme, communities in the North East will benefit from the economic growth, jobs and homes that large engineering projects of this kind create.”
Part of a Bigger Push to Boost Northern England
This A19 overhaul follows the recent completion of the new Nexus Metro Satellite Depot, a key part of the Metro Fleet Replacement Programme backed by over £330 million in funding from the Department for Transport.
NTAC was launched earlier this year to give Northern leaders a direct line to ministers and speed up transport projects, helping the North bounce back strong after the coronavirus crisis.
