Disappointment as A10 removed from upgrade list

An MP and a mayor said they were both disappointed but would not "give up", after the Department for Transport (DfT) said it did not have any money to pay for the A10 to be dualled, between Cambridge and Ely.

The government has written to local politicians to say the proposed scheme offered "lower value for money" compared to other projects across England.

Charlotte Cane, the Liberal Democrat MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, has urged the department to reconsider.

Conservative mayor for the county, Paul Bristow, said he would look at "alternative revenue sources" to try and get the congested road upgraded.

In March, the DfT unveiled 16 projects across England that it would pay for, as part of the Major Road Network and Large Local Majors (MRN/LLM) Programme.

Schemes, like the A10, were not included on that list, but were placed "under review".

Last week, the government wrote to Cane to say the project had been removed from the programme. It said it had "less robust analysis to inform the department's value for money assessment".

The letter also said the decision "does not prevent the scheme from being considered in the future", if there was "a compelling business case and an appropriate funding programme becomes available".

Cane said the decision would affect the region's growth plans.

"This road is one of the most important in the region, but it's overcrowded and not fit to support our growing area," she said.

"Developments in Waterbeach and North East Cambridge will bring 11,000 homes and nearly 20,000 jobs to the area, but both require robust and reliable infrastructure.

"A10 improvements, including dualling of the carriageway, have been needed for years, so it seems especially short-sighted to refuse these plans at such an important moment for Cambridgeshire's growth."

The news was also met with disappointment by Bristow, who is the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

"Our Local Growth Plan sets out how we can grow the regional economy substantially, and these roads are part of the infrastructure needed to make that possible," he said.

"The government wants us to grow, but then don't give money for the infrastructure we need.

"I am not giving up and we will look at alternative revenue sources. I will take up the roads minister's offer of a meeting with officials, and we will keep working on the case for their investment. But actions speak louder than words."

In a statement, the DfT said: "The previous [Conservative] government did not fund these projects.

"Given the challenging financial picture we inherited, we have had to make difficult decisions on a number of road projects and can only progress schemes that are affordable for taxpayers."

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