Five road schemes scrapped in Autumn Budget

Rachel Reeves has scrapped five road schemes in her first Budget as chancellor.

In another blow to civil engineers, the Budget revealed that a set of schemes, together worth an estimated £1.3bn, had failed to pass value for money tests and would not now proceed.

“As part of the government’s commitment to growth, it will take difficult decisions where there is not a clear value for money case to invest,” said the Budget document.

It explained that, after a review, the transport secretary Louise Haigh had decided not to progress with a number of “unfunded and unaffordable road schemes”.

These include A5036 Princess Way, A358 Taunton to Southfields, M27 J8 Southampton, the A47 Great Yarmouth, Vauxhall Roundabout and A1 Morpeth to Ellingham. 

Vinci had been set to deliver to A358, while Costain was lined up for the A1 dualling scheme in Northumberland.

It comes after cuts made in July, after Rachel Reeves’ audit of public spending claimed to identify £3.5bn in “unfunded pressures” related to transport in 2024-5.

The government in response cancelled several schemes, including the A303 Stonehenge tunnel, the A27 schemes and the Restoring Your Railway programme.

The government set out plans for more than £100bn of capital investment and recommitted to transport schemes including East West Rail and the Transpennine upgrade.

It also announced that it would provide funding for tunnels to get HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston.