Drivers could face traffic chaos as Labour's Rachel Reeves pauses major road projects around the UK
Rachel Reeves outlined a number of changes to fill a £20billion funding 'black hole'
GB NEWS/PA
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has announced changes to several road development projects which could have an impact on motorists across the country.
Speaking in the House of Commons earlier today, the Chancellor highlighted a report from the National Audit Office which showed "chaos" in the previous Government's finances for transport projects.
Reeves stated that there was £1billion in unfunded transport projects that had been committed to next year under the previous Conservative Government, adding that it was spending "like there was no tomorrow" and campaigned on a platform to "do it all over again".
She said: "My Right Honorable Friend the Transport Secretary (Louise Haigh MP) will undertake a thorough review of these commitments.
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The A27 Bypass project is likely to be scrapped by Labour
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
"As part of that work, she has agreed not to move forward with projects that the previous Government refused to publically cancel despite knowing full well that they were unaffordable.
"That includes proposed work on the A303 and the A27. My Right Honorable Friend will also cancel the Restoring Your Railways programme, saving £85million next year, with individual projects to be assessed through her view. If we cannot afford it, we cannot do it."
Labour had already pledged to defer the A27 bypass in its General Election manifesto, branding it "poor value for money".
The £320million set aside for the bypass would instead be used for local road repairs across the country, with the removal of planning barriers to help speed up other projects.
By spreading funding around the country, Labour claims it will deliver better value for money for local motorists and for taxpayers.
It estimates that local road maintenance will deliver around £6.50 in benefits for every pound spent, compared to less than £2 from the A27 bypass development.
It said this money would go towards tackling the UK's plague of potholes, with the party pledging to fix an additional one million potholes across England every year.
Other pledges included ending the "sticking plaster approach" to repairing roads by providing multi-year funding settlements to local leaders to support and deliver longer-lasting repairs.
The A303 Stonehenge (Amesbury to Berwick Down) is also likely to be scrapped. National Highways reported that at times it can take over an hour to drive the eight-mile journey between the two towns, with drivers often experiencing slow-moving traffic and tailbacks.
Danny Kruger, Conservative MP for East Wiltshire, commented on the rumours that the Chancellor would be scrapping the A303 Stonehenge tunnel, saying that he was "deeply disappointed".
Taking to social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, the MP said: "If this is true the Government MUST fund an alternative plan to help communities around the A303 cope with the volume of traffic.
"Road improvements have been needed for years but delayed in anticipation of the tunnel. The status quo is completely unacceptable."
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Drivers often report traffic issues around Stonehenge
PAFurther details are expected to be released in the coming hours about the extent of the pause of projects and whether drivers could see other road projects cancelled in their area.
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