No 'fob off' from PM on axed road schemes, mayor says

East Midlands mayor Claire Ward has rejected the idea that the prime minister has given her calls to rethink proposals to scrap two major road improvement schemes in Derby and Nottinghamshire a "fobbing off".

The scheme to revamp junctions on the A38 was approved by the government in July last year with the A46 Newark Bypass approved in October.

However in June it was announced by Sir Keir Starmer's government that both could be scrapped to free up cash for increased defence spending.

Despite hopes from local leaders that the former Greater Manchester mayor might agree to rethink the decision, Andy Burnham gave no indication he was minded to do so during a visit to Derbyshire on Tuesday.

"We've had to, before my time, take difficult decisions around defence investment and I'm sure people will understand that the safety of the country is of paramount importance," Burnham told the BBC during his visit to Ilkeston.

"What I would say to Claire is work with Number 10 North, and let's see if we can develop together a long-term funding alternative, because there are other ways of paying for local infrastructure that's crucially needed.

"So we don't abandon the ambition. Even though there might have been a short-term funding challenge, we certainly will not abandon the ambition."

Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Ward said she still expected Burnham to "give me a hearing" on the case to reinstate the plans.

"I don't think [the prime minister's response was] fobbing off," she said. "I do think there's more conversation to be had.

"I've made it really clear to him and to those around him that I will continue to campaign and argue for the A38 and the A46.

"I will, as Andy suggests, continue to engage with Number 10 North about why this is important for our region.

"My argument is [funding for defence] should not be stripped out of two road schemes, the only two road schemes in the country that are impacted, and those are both in the East Midlands region.

"We've got a process at the moment which is that there is a consultation that the Department for Transport are going to conduct on this. We will be making a very strong case.

"We know that we are historically the lowest funded of any region when it comes to transport and infrastructure, and we can't carry on like that."

Asked if she was disappointed by Burnham's comments, she said: "I don't think that I can expect him to simply turn it around overnight. Do I expect him to give me a hearing? Yes."

Ward had called Sir Keir Starmer's decision to prioritise defence spending over the road schemes "completely unacceptable".

Meanwhile campaigners from the Stop the A38 Expansion Group are calling for the boarded-up houses that were bought out in preparation for the A38 road scheme to be brought back into use if the project is cancelled.

All the homes on Queensway in Derby were barricaded after they were bought by National Highways, as part of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) ahead of work starting.

"We also need to think about unlocking some of those homes," Ward said.

"We cannot continue to be in a position where people think investment's taking place, then it gets delayed, and we just don't move forward in the way in which we need to."

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