Northumberland County Council heaps pressure on Labour government to keep commitment to Blyth Relief Road amid transport review

Council leader Glen Sanderson has been vocal about the status of key transport projects in the county since the Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office in July, and has again reiterated the council’s belief in the Blyth project.

The scheme would see new dual carriageway laid and the widening of existing single carriageway along the A1061, creating a dualled route between the Three Horseshoes roundabout and the A193 roundabout at South Beach.

A new single carriageway link between Chase Farm Drive and Ogle Drive is also proposed under the scheme, which aims to reduce congestion and journey times.

Northumberland County Council’s outline business case for the project is currently being updated and will be resubmitted to the government in October after the previous Tory administration requested updated traffic modelling and financial data.

Louise Haigh, the Secretary of State for Transport, said last week that an internal review of her department’s capital spending would “move quickly to make recommendations about current and future schemes.”

The previous government had committed to the Blyth Relief Road as part of the Network North announcement in October, with money previously earmarked for HS2 promised to the project.

Cllr Sanderson highlighted that Blyth “plays a key role” for the regional economy as a hub for renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, but that the “real opportunity” to create growth presented by recent investment in the town relied on reducing congestion.

He said: “It is essential that the congestion in this area is tackled through improved transport links.

“We would urge the government to honour the commitment set out in Network North to support funding for the delivery of this strategically important scheme that will reduce local congestion, cut car and bus journey times, offer greater walking and cycling opportunities, and support opportunities for future growth.

“As a council we remain fully committed to the delivery of this project.

“We intend to press on as a key priority with the work to refresh the business case, submit the scheme for planning approval, acquire land, and undertake detailed design work so that it is 'shovel ready' for construction to begin, subject to government agreeing the business case and funding approval.”

In last week’s statement, the transport secretary pledged a “fundamental reset” in her department’s approach to investment in capital projects.

She said: “In recent weeks, the gap between promised schemes and the money available to deliver them has been made clear to me.

“There has been a lack of openness with the public about the status of schemes, some of which were cancelled or paused by the previous government without proper communication to the public.

“As the Chancellor informed Parliament, I am commissioning an internal review of the Department for Transport’s capital spend portfolio.

“This review will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport, developing a modern and integrated network with people at its heart and ensuring that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time.”