Latest news with #roadupgrade
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Earlier plan to dual A1 was dropped, leaked report says
A leaked government report has revealed 2021 plans to dual the A1 were quietly shelved. The scheme to upgrade the 13-mile (20km) section of road between Morpeth and Ellingham was cancelled by the Labour government last year. But earlier plans to dual the road were pulled in 2021 after funding was "withdrawn", according to a leaked Department for Transport (DfT) said it did not comment on leaked documents. The report detailed that during the 2021 Spending Review, funding for the dualling scheme was dropped, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service."The funding decision was not made public, but we instructed National Highways to cease work on the scheme," the document said. A government analysis of the scheme in 2021 also found the costs of the project would outweigh its this year, it was revealed that more than £68m had already been spent on the project, despite work not yet getting under report also suggested that between 2021 and 2024, the scheme was subject to several development consent order (DCO) extensions. DCOs are required for nationally significant infrastructure were to "allow time to consider environmental matters" as other schemes, such as the A38 Derby Junctions project, had been impacted by legal challenges on environmental grounds. The report also suggested the cost of dualling the road had "nearly doubled" between 2021 and May 2024, when it was approved by then Conservative government, before it was paused by the new Labour government that same year. That was due to inflation, it said. 'Paints vivid picture' Labour MP David Smith said the report confirmed the last Conservative government had no intention of dualling the A1."My focus since becoming MP for North Northumberland has been to secure sensible safety improvements at key junctions," he Northumberland County Council's Conservative deputy leader Richard Wearmouth said the report proved Tory ministers had been determined to get the project approved."The document paints a vivid picture of officials trying to kill the project multiple times but being overruled by Conservative ministers on every single occasion," he said National Highways was now "exploring options" for the road which could improve "safety and congestion" while "offering value for money" to the taxpayer.
Khaleej Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE's Dh750-million Emirates Road project to ease traffic, cut travel time
The UAE's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has announced a new project to upgrade Emirates Road with a budget of Dh750 million. The 25-km project from Al Badi intersection to Umm Al Quwain Emirate will begin in September 2025. Aimed at boosting road capacity, easing traffic congestion, and reducing travel time by 45 per cent, the project is expected to be completed in two years. The road will be widened from three to five lanes in each direction on the 25-km stretch to help reduce traffic congestion. This development is part of the UAE's national plan to improve the federal road network and support economic growth. The Ministry emphasised that the project reflects the country's commitment to building a smart and resilient transportation system that meets the needs of a rapidly growing population and economy. Key details of the project:
Gulf Business
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Gulf Business
Traffic relief in Dubai: Al Wasl–Al Manara intersection gets upgraded
Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed a key traffic improvement project at the intersection of Al Wasl Street and Al Manara Street. The upgrade adds a new lane for vehicles heading from Al Manara Street toward Sheikh Zayed Road, along with a dedicated U-turn lane for the same direction. Read- The enhancements are part of RTA's broader initiative to support Dubai's growing population and expanding urban footprint. By upgrading roads in residential areas, Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website Part of 2025 Traffic Improvement Plan The intersection upgrade falls under RTA's 2025 Traffic Improvement Plan, which focuses on increasing network capacity, reducing congestion, and strengthening connectivity in major areas such as Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, and Al Safa. The plan aims to improve road safety and streamline travel along key corridors parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road. Reduced waiting times With the addition of a third lane, the intersection's capacity has increased by 50 per cent. The upgrade has also reduced traffic waiting times by up to 30 per cent. The new U-turn lane further eases traffic flow for vehicles moving from Sheikh Zayed Road toward Al Wasl and Al Manara Streets, cutting wait times by up to 35 per cent.
Zawya
10-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Kuwait's Combined Group Contracting bags $187mln contract in UAE
Combined Group Contracting (CGC) Company Emirates, a UAE-based subsidiary of Kuwait's Combined Group Contracting Company, has won a contract from the UAE's UAE's Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure to upgrade a portion of the 110-km Emirates Road. The contract is valued at 56.97 million Kuwaiti dinars ($186.55 million), Combined Group Contracting Company said in a statement to Boursa Kuwait on Thursday. The work scope includes the development and upgrading of Emirates Road from the Al-Badi'a Intersection to the E55 Intersection. The work is expected to be completed in 730 days, with 30 days for mobilisation, the statement added. (Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Cost of long-awaited Bussell Highway duplication in WA's South West doubles to $170m
The cost of a long-awaited road upgrade pitched as a congestion-buster for tourists heading to Western Australia's South West has blown out to $170 million as the project finally nears completion. The single-lane stretch of Bussell Highway between Capel and Busselton has long been a traffic bottleneck, particularly during holidays and long weekends when tens of thousands of tourists make the 200-kilometre drive south from Perth. Sold as a solution to those frustrations, duplicating the highway has also come at double the initial projected cost, according to figures revealed during budget estimates hearings last week. The major road project has dragged on despite the Cook government promising its completion by the end of 2024. A Main Roads spokesperson said some short-term traffic management may remain in place, but the majority of work was now complete. However, months of delays and many millions in additional spending have left some locals pondering whether it was worth the cash and time. Capel resident Corrie Young said she was unimpressed with the final product. She regularly uses the road to drive in and out of Busselton. "I'm not very happy with it at all," she said. Ms Young said the last few years had been "terrible" as construction on the road had dragged on, leaving many drivers frustrated over lane closures and speed reductions. Others were more positive. "It's fantastic, I can just zip down from the farm to Busselton. It's flat, it's smooth, it's quick," commuter Steve Jones said. In WA's Legislative Council estimates last week, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti blamed the price escalation on rising construction costs around the world. "I am very proud that we have delivered the Bussell Highway duplication," she said. "It was not an election commitment, but I was very determined to get it done, and we did it through negotiations with the Commonwealth." The Bussell Highway duplication is not the only road project that has blown out in WA's south. The cost of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road that opened late last year — now the Wilman Wadandi Highway — swelled to $1.46 billion, more than $600 million over what was initially estimated. Questions also remain around the overall benefit delivered by both projects. Curtin University researcher and former Infrastructure Australia board member Peter Newman said the development, while popular, came at the cost of alternatives. "Both of them are extraordinarily over-designed … in my view, they take up a massive amount of space," Professor Newman said. He believed the money would be better spent on electric public transport links to the South West region. "These [ideas] are not ever getting onto the agenda because of the massive amount of money that is being spent on these kinds of [road] projects."
