Road funds plans soon
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by Amanda Bradbury • The Government appears to be pressing ahead with its plans to introduce private sector finance into roads to speed up roads construction.
This move comes in the wake of a report which slammed motorway tolling which could have helped raise finance for new roads built by the Government.
As predicted (CM 11-18 August) the report says electronic motorway tolling needs to be "urgently reviewed and reconsidered".
ht its report, which came out last week, the Transport S elect Committee also questions the G overn ' ment's commitment to a previous suggestion that proceeds from tolling would go only towards roads construction. Newly-appointed roads minister John Watts is nonetheless expected in the next few days to announce a significant update to the Government's plans for "shadow tolling".
Quite separate from motorway toiling, shadow tolling is where private operators design, build and operate new roads and recoup their investment from the Government on the basis of levels of use.
Watts is expected to announce soon which contractors and banks have passed the first hurdle in qualifying as suitable to grab £455m-worth of road contracts.
The first batch of roads to qualify for shadow tolling this year could include the Al-M1 link; Ml/M62 Lofthouse Interchange diversion and the upgrading of the Al in two places.