Staffordshire is ready to play an important role in driving the Midlands Engine and the Midlands Connect transport strategy, county council leader Philip Atkins said today.
The county will see multi-million pound transport improvements as part of the 25-year transport strategy announced today, which forms part of the wider Midlands Engine that will aim to boost growth and productivity. Today, the Government has also announced a AL23.3million allocation from the Local Growth Fund to the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
County council leader Philip Atkins said: aThe Midlands Engine and its transport component Midlands Connect announcements today will draw on the strengths of all of the partner areas from Lincolnshire to the Marches to ensure the central part of the country really drives prosperity in the UK. Staffordshire has an important part to play and we will see significant benefits, building on the successes we have already seen.
aThe Midlands Engine covers a broad range of investment pledges in transport and skills and in Staffordshire we have been able to demonstrate our effective delivery with the LEP on programmes already up and running. Todayas visit of the local government minister Marcus Jones to the Rodbaston Agristem Academy recognises this.
aNow we can look forward to supporting delivery of key projects set out in the 25-year-strategy a from HS2 and ensuring the Stafford hub benefits the whole county, to motorway improvements such as introduction of Smart Motorway on the M6 in Staffordshire. We will also be looking to further improvements on the A50; a huge project we will be carrying out on behalf of Highways England.
aStaffordshire is strategically important to the Midlands and the UK in terms of transport and investment potential. The county council will ensure all people and businesses in the county will see the benefits of the Midlands Engine strategy.a
The Local Growth Fund allocation includes funding for development at Doxey Road in Stafford and finalisation of the Stafford Western Access Route and bringing forward development at the ROF Featherstone site in South Staffordshire.