Following the meeting in January at Westminster organised by local MPs with Roads Minister, Jesse Norman, and Highways England, the Minister has now confirmed that further development work has been authorised on the improvements proposed in the Safety Review.
Highways England has been tasked with delivering recommendations in the A34 Safety Review and work is now underway to progress what will be done and when, within the current period of works (up till 2020). The recommendations include improvements to the size and layout of laybys, slip roads and signage.
The Department for Transport will make a formal announcement in the coming weeks.
Richard Benyon, MP for Newbury, said, ‘Getting the Safety Review done and recognising the issues for drivers on the A34 was a major step forward. Frustrating though it seems, I accept that it is important that any works are properly scrutinised for value for money and more importantly for effectiveness. I am pleased that the Minister has authorised Highways England to get on with it and I am continuing to put pressure on all parties. I want to see these improvements in place as much as anyone else.
‘I am also aware that work is continuing on the scheduled Oxford to Cambridge Expressway so anything that is done now needs to be viewed through that lens as well.’
Ed Vaizey, MP for Wantage, said, ‘I am pleased that the recommendations in the A34 Safety Review are being carried forward and that the Department for Transport has accepted that the A34 needs improvement. We would not have been able to get to this point without the work of my fellow MPs, local councils, LEPs and the A34 Action Group. I hope that Highways England can implement the recommendations as speedily as possible and will continue to work with stakeholders to put pressure on the government to continue to improve the A34.’