Britain pledged Monday to invest £15 billion in roads infrastructure over the next five years as part of a major spending package before next year’s general election.
The government announced the initiative, worth the equivalent of $24 billion or 19 billion euros, ahead of this week’s budget update.
British finance minister George Osborne will deliver his so-called autumn statement before parliament at 1230 GMT on Wednesday.
Osborne, a Conservative member of the coalition government which includes junior partners the Liberal Democrats, has already flagged major investment in health services.
Wednesday’s statement will lay the groundwork for Osborne’s final annual budget, likely to be in March before a general election due in May.
“Today I am setting out the biggest, boldest and most far-reaching roads programme for decades,” said Roads Minister Patrick McLoughlin on Monday.
“It will dramatically improve our road network and unlock Britain’s economic potential,” he said, noting that roads were “key” to economic prosperity.
“This government has a long-term plan to secure the country’s future and this £15 billion roads programme is demonstration of that.
“Better roads allow us to travel freely, creating jobs and opportunities, benefiting hardworking families across the country.”
The cash will be invested in more than 100 road schemes, of which 84 are brand new.
The projects will include a tunnel on the A303 trunk road past Britain’s prehistoric Stonehenge site in southwest England, while some £1.5 billion will be spent on adding extra lanes to some motorways.
Osborne added that the plan would “transform some of the country’s most important strategic routes” .
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, a Liberal Democrat, said the new strategy would “help unleash the economic potential of both the regions they serve and of the overall economy”.
However, the main opposition Labour party said the announcement was not new.
“This is just yet another re-announcement on promised road improvements,” said Michael Dugher, Labour’s transport spokesman.
“The government has ‘announced’ plans for road investment at least three times since 2013. And no additional money has been announced.”
*AFP