Politicians from all sides have reacted with fury to the news that the Government will not fund the long-awaited Blyth Relief Road. The Department for Transport confirmed last week that the scheme would not be taken forward despite the fact it has already been granted planning permission by Northumberland County Council.
Cross-party anger over decision
Both the Conservatives and Reform have slammed the Government for the decision, while Labour MPs have laid the blame at the foot of the previous Conservative Government. The £55 million scheme would have been aimed at reducing congestion on key routes in and out of Blyth, with a particular focus on Laverock Hall Road and Cowpen Road.
Cramlington and Killingworth MP Emma Foody said: "Once again, this Government was left picking up the mess of the failed Conservative Government. As with the A1, in the dying days of their government the Conservatives desperately announced project after project without any way of delivering.
"They could have progressed these at any point in their fourteen years yet announced these schemes weeks before a General Election, achieving nothing. This is why residents across Northumberland rightly kicked them out of office."
Conservatives and Reform respond
In a statement, Northumberland Conservatives - the group which leads the county council - said: "In October 2023, Rishi Sunak's Conservative Government included the Blyth Relief Road in its Network North transport investment programme, alongside improvements to the A1.
"Northumberland County Council has since progressed the Blyth scheme, secured planning permission and committed to contributing around 15% of the cost. But the Government has now refused the funding needed to deliver it.
"This follows Labour's decision to cancel the long-awaited A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling scheme, which had received development consent under the previous Conservative Government. Two major road projects in Northumberland have now lost Government support.
"The Government has withdrawn support for two major road improvements, leaving residents and businesses without the investment they were promised. The council will continue exploring alternative funding for Blyth, but residents deserve to know what improvements Labour intends to deliver instead.
"Northumberland needs investment in its roads, not more broken promises and uncertainty."
The leader of the Reform UK opposition group on the county council, Coun Rick Baker, represents Blyth's Cowpen ward. He added: "Despite approval, the Labour Government has shelved the road, denying our town and county of much needed infrastructure, just like the A1 dualling.
"Remember this at the ballot box at the next local or national election."
Government position and next steps
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to deliver the Blyth Relief Road in October 2023. The General Election was held the following summer.
The DfT has said the previous Government "did not fund" the project and that it can only progress schemes that are "good value for money" due to the "challenging financial picture" it inherited.
Kim McGuinness, the Labour Mayor of the North East, has said she will work with the council to try and find an alternative solution to funding the project.
