Lincolnshire and Rutland to get share of £1 billion East Midlands Local Transport Fund

More than £260 million will be given to Lincolnshire to spend on boosting transport in the county.

The county is getting £262,339,000 from the Local Transport Fund – while Rutland will also get £49,341,000.

If all goes as planned, the cash is due to come to our area from 2025 and be spread over seven years – with the counties now needing to get a plan together for how best to spend the money.

The Government says our pot is part of £1 billion to come to the East Midlands – and is cash previously allocated to the HS2 project.

At today’s (Monday February 26) cabinet meeting, it’s said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will call on ministers and MPs to hold councils to account when spending the money – and to make sure the voices of residents are heard when deciding on how best to spend it.

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A Department for Transport statement outlined some of the project that the cash could be spent on. This includes:

• Building new roads and improving junctions

• Installing or expanding ‘mass transit systems’ (such as trams)

• Improving roads by filling in potholes and better street lighting for personal safety

• Improving journey times for car and bus users by tackling congestion

• Increasing the number of EV chargepoints

• Refurbishing bus and rail stations

• Improving our streets so they are safer to walk children to school and increasing accessibility for all.

In Lincolnshire, county bosses have tried and failed to get the government to reverse a massive cut to the road maintenance budget – which has resulted in a shortfall in the money needed for pothole repairs.

The county council will have to publish a delivery plan, spelling out which projects they want to spend the money on.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “This new funding boost will make a real difference to millions of people living in the East Midlands, empowering local authorities to drive economic growth, transform communities, and improve the daily transport connections that people rely on for years to come.”

The Government previously decided to axe elements of the HS2 project, including the northern leg of the route and elements around the connection at Euston in London.

Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect, said: “This funding represents a significant investment in our region’s infrastructure. The Midlands contributes more than £90bn to the UK economy, and to boost that even more, we need reliable transport networks and investment in new technology.

“We welcome this announcement and the improvements it will bring for our communities and businesses across the Midlands, and we will continue to work with Government and support our local authorities, to ensure these vital Network North transport upgrades are delivered.”

What do you think? Where should the money be spent in Lincolnshire and Rutland? Post your thoughts in the comments below