£160m investment into safer and better journeys in Yorkshire and the North East

A £160m package of renewals and improvements will be delivered on roads, paths and bridges across Yorkshire and the North East over the next 12 months.  

The investment will create safer and smoother journeys for millions of road users on motorways and A roads across the region. Of the £160m, around £4m will be spent on facilities for cyclists, equestrians and pedestrians. 

Plans for renewals include road resurfacing, motorway safety barrier upgrades, bridge joint replacements, improved signage and drainage and renewal of traffic lights. The package will cover more than 350 renewals and improvement schemes across the region, over a network totalling 670 miles.

Simon Boyle, National Highways Regional Director, said:  

“It’s vital that National Highways’ motorways and A-roads are kept in good condition to make sure they remain safe, reliable and keep Yorkshire and the North East moving. Providing access to international gateways – from ports at Grimsby and Immingham and Tees and Hartlepool, to airports at Newcastle and Leeds-Bradford, our road system supports business growth. It also brings tourism to our stunning natural, cultural and historic attractions. This investment will help us achieve the ambitious plans we have for our roads, the communities we serve and the environment. Together we’ll work to tackle congestion, create even safer roads, and introduce new technology to create better links across the Pennines, to Scotland and beyond.” 

Minister for Roads, Richard Holden said:  

“Over the course of this financial year, the North East and Yorkshire will see a £160 million investment into maintaining, repairing and improving their roads. This substantial investment will ensure communities are kept connected, the economy keeps moving and individuals enjoy safe and reliable journeys.” 

The wide-ranging, comprehensive programme of renewals and improvements for 23/24 includes:  

• Central barrier upgrades on the M1 and A1M in West Yorkshire 
• A new set of joints for the M62 Ouse Bridge in East Yorkshire. They will enable a permanent repair of this vital structure which forms part of a key route into Hull. This extensive programme of repairs is expected to finish in early 2024 
• Essential upgrades to Myton Swing Bridge in Hull including the replacement of joints, markings and studs as well as resurfacing and waterproofing  
• Resurfacing on the A1 from Wandylaw to Warrenford in Northumberland 
• Renewals on the A1 between junctions 49 and 56, including renewed road markings and studs
• The design and construction of a scheme of improvements at the M1 Junction 39
• The design and construction of various renewals on the M180 including resurfacing of the slip roads at junctions 3,4 and 5, drainage and bridge parapet repairs 

Proposals for the renewals and improvements also include projects supported by National Highways Designated Funds. National Highways manages four designated funds, allocated by the Government, to deliver benefits above and beyond building, maintaining and operating England’s strategic roads.  

Plans to benefit the environment and wider community include: 

• The construction of new facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians along the A616 at Underbank in South Yorkshire  
• The design of improvements to a footbridge on the A1 near Burwell Avenue at East Denton, Newcastle Upon Tyne 
• A grassland extension programme to improve biodiversity near the A19 in the North East 
• Funding towards a biodiversity programme near Newton Aycliffe  
• Preliminary designs for improvements to junction 70 of the A1 at Dunston
• Upgrades to street lighting on sections of the A61, A62 and at Junction 35a of the M1 and the A616.  

In addition, National Highways will continue to invest in and deliver major road schemes in the region in 2023/24:    

• £73m is due to be invested into the A1 Birtley to Coalhouse scheme to reduce congestion and create safer and more reliable journeys on this key route in the year ahead 
• A further £58m has been earmarked for the A63 Castle Street scheme to create a new junction, leading to much better connections between the city centre, retail outlets and the docks area as well as improving the link from the M62. 
• £18m is also planned for the M621 project to create safer, more reliable journeys between junctions 1-7 on this Leeds motorway  

This latest investment into the region’s roads follows on from last year’s essential maintenance programme which saw National Highways inject £135 million into the completion of more than 300 renewals and improvements projects.  

To keep up to date with when this year’s projects will be delivered, or to get the latest travel information follow  @HighwaysYORKS and @HighwaysNEAST on Twitter;  National Highways: Yorkshire and National Highways: North East on Facebook