Axe threat to £624m transport projects

More than £624 million worth of transport projects in the West Midlands, including the extension of the Midland Metro and the creation of red routes, are under threat from government spending reviews, it was claimed today.

The replacement of Wolverhampton's busy Vine Island with traffic lights to pave the way for the long-awaited £67m, i54 business park could also suffer, it is feared. The Campaign for Better Transport has said the emergency budget on June 22 will outline cuts over the coming years.

Campaign organisers say that even if the Government decided to cut local transport spending by just 10 per cent, then £268 million worth of projects would need to be axed.

The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce today urged the government to resurrect the idea of Accelerated Development Zones, which work by allowing councils to keep business rates they collect on behalf of the government as a loan.

Transport projects under threat because of government spending reviews include the £11m scheme to replace the Vine Island in Fordhouses with traffic lights.

The project - which is meant to pave the way for the i54 development off Wobaston Road to create 6,000 jobs - was approved under the Labour government but the money hasn't yet been handed over.

More than £78m worth of cash towards the Midland Metro extensions in Birmingham and Wolverhampton is also in jeopardy as no official deal has been signed, as is nearly £20m for more red routes, which ban cars from stopping on busy roads.

Richard George, roads and climate campaigner for the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "The West Midlands must be careful to fund the right schemes.

"At £120 million, the A45/46 Tollbar End in Coventry looks hard to justify. The region would be foolish to proceed with that and the Shrewsbury Relief Road if it puts low-cost, high-value upgrades to the Midland Metro at risk.

"These decisions will either see the Midlands shake off the recession or see vast swathes of the region left with sub-standard transport for years to come."

Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said: "In the letter we have written to Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, we have stated that at this time of infrastructure deficit, Accelerated Development Zones are the way to support growth."

Transport schemes that the Government has yet to commit funding to:

A449/Wobaston Road £10m

Red Routes package 2 £19.76m

West Bromwich regeneration £11.37m

Stafford western access £19m

Kidderminster station £2.5m

A45/A46 Tollbar End £118.21m

Chester Road £20.83m

Nuckle 1 public transport £12.42m

Midland Metro Wolverhampton city centre loop £53.1m

Midland Metro Birmingham city centre extension £25m

Dudley Road traffic management £16.21m

Longbridge hub £20m

A38(M) maintenance £31m

Coventry Friargate £30m

A5/A444 Redgate junction £11.25m

University Boulevard £2m

Hanley-Bentilee link £27m

Coventry Rapid Transit £4m

Street Car Green Line £15m

Shrewsbury NWRR £44.98m

Worcester integrated transport strategy £46m

A4184 Evesham bridge maintenance £9.6m

A45 westbound bridge £10m

Bromsgrove station £7.5m

Stratford Parkway station £12m

Ashton Road North maintenance £8.5m

Burton to Swadlincote regeneration corridor £37m