Ward issues cross-party call to fight A38 axe

East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, has called on MP’s and council leaders in the region to put “place before party politics” to prevent two major road projects being scrapped.

Last week, outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the potential axing of two East Midlands transport schemes to fund an increase in defence spending.

Those projects include long-planned improvements to the A38 in Derby, and A46 Newark Bypass works which involve widening around five miles of road and turning it into a dual carriageway.

The decision was met with anger by the Mayor’s office, who said the East Midlands was being unfairly targeted for more than £900m of cuts, with a vow to defend the future of both schemes.

Now, in an open letter published this weekend, Ward has called on MPs and council leaders to set aside party differences to form a coalition to defend the threatened road schemes – and make the cash for more investment in the region.

She said the Government’s decision to withdraw investment from the A46 Newark Bypass and A38 Derby Junctions schemes represents a “significant setback” for the East Midlands, adding that the area had suffered from significant investment shortfalls under previous governments.

An analysis carried out by East Midlands Councils last year claimed the region received nearly £11bn less than the UK average between 2019 and 2024, with levels of transport spending in the East Midlands the lowest level of any UK region or nation.

In 2023, a planned HS2 spur to East Midlands Parkway station was scrapped, the final downgrading of the high-speed rail project’s ambitions to connect London with regions north of Birmingham.

“At a time when we are making the case for growth, productivity and opportunity in every part of the UK, removing almost £900 million of planned road investment from the East Midlands sends entirely the wrong signal. I am particularly concerned that the East Midlands appears to be the only region being asked to lose investment on this scale. That is neither equitable nor reflective of the historic underinvestment our region has already endured,” said Ward.

“Roads like the A46 and A38 are not optional extras; they are the foundations upon which jobs, housing, productivity and investment are built.

“The East Midlands cannot be expected to drive national growth while being asked to accept the loss of the very infrastructure that makes that growth possible.”

She says the planned coalition, once established, would link up with business leaders, chambers of commerce, universities and trade unions to make a stronger case to Westminster for East Midlands investment.

Prime Minister Starmer is due to leave his post later this month, with MP for Makerfield, Andy Burnham, widely expected to take over. Last week, Burnham set out a policy platform for his premiership which involved a focus on devolved investment, promising “good growth” in all regions across the country.

Setting out the Government’s position on 30 June, Starmer said there were “no easy choices” to fund a planned £15bn hike in defence spending.

“Therefore some capital projects – for example on roads and energy, which are important, but not immediately vital will no longer go ahead as planned,” he told the House of Commons.

“It is because we have taken these hard-edged decisions that we are able to increase our spending on defence.”

In a statement issued last week, Cllr Sean Matthews, Chair of East Midlands Councils said the decision to cancel the A38 and A46 schemes was “truly shocking” and would damage economic confidence in the East Midlands.

“The East Midlands continues to be treated as ‘soft touch’ when Ministers need cash. This must end,” he said.