On Thursday David Warburton, parliamentary candidate for Somerton & Frome, brought Chancellor of the Exchequer the Right Hon. George Osborne MP to Wincanton to hear how the government’s infrastructure plan could deliver further road improvements that relieve congestion for local people and businesses along the A303.
The government has committed to invest £15 billion in roads over the next parliament, as the Prime Minister announced last week, with further details promised at next month’s Autumn Statement.
Local business leaders have campaigned for 20 years for measures to relieve congestion on the A303, and say cutting delays is vital for the West Country's jobs and tourism. The Government has responded to these calls by commissioning a feasibility study on this proposal, which is currently ongoing.
George Osborne said, “It has been incredibly useful to hear from David Warburton – he is a fantastic Conservative candidate and an effective local champion. He has taken me to see first-hand the experiences of the challenges facing the A303 corridor, and the way that delays cost businesses time and money.
“After a decade of neglect, we are now carrying biggest improvement programme for roads since the 1970s as part of our long term economic plan, with this Government committed to investing £15 billion to road maintenance, repair and expansion. We can only afford this investment because of the difficult decisions we’ve taken to get a grip on the public finances and so secure a brighter future.
“We’ve made good progress, but there’s more to do, including further improvements to the A303 that would support the whole of the South West. Work on the A303 would make it more reliable for businesses and safer for drivers, and I will be looking carefully at what we can do in the weeks ahead to support the region.”
David Warburton commented, “After my many years of campaigning and lobbying, I’m delighted to see that the Chancellor has seen the problem for himself in Somerset.
“We need this investment if Somerset’s economy is to grow and compete with the rest of Britain. We’ll keep pushing at the highest levels to ensure that the people and businesses of the South West are given the keys to the future.”