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The delegation was: Mr Andrew Lansdell, chairman of the Long Stratton parish council; Mrs Evelyn Riches, parish clerk; district councillor Peter Smith; and Long Stratton county councillor Stella Rice; together with Norfolk County Council's director of planning and transportation, Mike Jackson.

Mr Bacon said:

“Long Stratton is an appalling bottleneck and there is widespread agreement that a bypass would bring major benefits to the local community.  It would eliminate the dreadful tail backs, which can be up to three miles long, and ease congestion on a key strategic route into Norwich. There would also be benefits for safety and air quality”.

However, the government has introduced a new approach to funding under which regional assemblies are asked to rank road schemes on the basis of their 'regional significance'. 

Mr Bacon said: “We know that the bypass is unlikely to meet the new test of being 'regionally significant'. The bypass is locally significant, very good value for money with huge benefits, and is a top priority for Norfolk. We explained to the minister our concerns that the new approach to funding could mean Norfolk's priorities are overridden”

“It is possible there is now a structural problem with the government's approach to funding local authority major road schemes. Yet Norfolk has a good reputation for scheme delivery and an enormous amount of effort and expenditure has already gone into preparing this bid”.

“The Long Stratton bypass is now 'oven-ready' and could be delivered very quickly with low risk. We pointed out to the minister that this is potentially a very quick win for the government in terms of producing results that people can see”.

“The minister was unable to comment in detail, which in advance of a decision is fair enough. However, she did say that if clear evidence of a systemic funding bias against local schemes were to emerge then this would be a cause for concern and that the Department for Transport would want to examine the position very carefully.  It was a useful meeting and Long Stratton is now certainly on the minister's radar”.

25 January 2006

See also:
LOCAL NEWS: MP calls for green light on bypass
LOCAL NEWS: Norfolk MPs call for better access to the county
LOCAL NEWS: MP backs call for safer roads in Harleston
SPEECHES: Transport in the Eastern Region