Local MP, Kate Kniveton, today (20/02/24) joined representatives from Staffordshire County Council as they visited 10 Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament to have conversations with the Government over the potential economic benefits that the A50/A500 upgrades could unlock.
As Project Champion for the North Midlands Manufacturing Corridor, Ms Kniveton successfully campaigned, alongside Midlands Connect, for improvements to the A50 and A500, including the configuration of the trunk road as it passes through Uttoxeter and the two existing roundabouts.
Back in October, the Government announced its commitment to deliver the road improvements which will significantly ease congestion, enhance safety, and improve air quality locally.
Now, the MP and local leaders have set their sights on a new project, the Fifty500 investment programme, to unlock and enhance the potential economic opportunities, particularly in developing future technologies, that the road upgrades will generate. Figures estimate that improvements to the A50/A500 corridor will create, as a minimum, 5,000 new jobs and add £100 million to the economy.
Leading the Staffordshire County Council delegation was Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, Cllr Philip White, along with Assistant Director, Anthony Hodge, and Economy Marketing & Campaigns Manager, Lauren Hunt. The group visited 10 Downing Street to deliver a letter to the Prime Minister, calling on Mr Sunak to consider supporting the plans in next month’s Budget.
Following their visit to Downing Street, the group met up with Kate Kniveton for a meeting with the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Minister Griffith, in the House of Commons to discuss the plans in more detail.
Commenting, Kate Kniveton MP said:
“Securing the commitment from Government to invest in the A50/A500 corridor was an incredible milestone which will bring significant improvements to Uttoxeter and all local roads users.
“But we are not going to stop there. These highway improvements create an opportunity for serious economic investment into our region and to establish ourselves as a hub for the technologies of the future for the whole of the UK.
“I am grateful to the Minister for meeting with myself and the team from Staffordshire County Council today. We will continue to do all we can to make the case for this future investment on the back of the excellent news of the road improvements.”
Staffordshire County Council’s Cllr Philip White, added:
““The county council has been working hard to build a compelling business case for investment in the A50/500 corridor to reduce congestion and to create more high skilled and highly paid jobs for local people in the world class businesses that operate along the corridor.
“We have already had success in getting the upgrade of the A50 between Toyota Island and Stoke on Trent included as one of only eight major road network projects across the country funded by the Network North programme and we are pressing the case for more investment to fully realise the potential of the corridor.
“With strong support from our Parliamentary champion Kate Kniveton MP we are now delivering this message at the heart of government, and it is encouraging that we are getting a positive response from ministers including Mr Griffith recognising the role this corridor can play in growing the green economy and creating the jobs of the future here in Staffordshire.”