UK: Following a review which has brought a 14% reduction in the total cost, on February 4 the Department for Transport confirmed the allocation of funding that will enable nine rail and other local transport projects to go ahead. Additional schemes have been invited to bid for funding which is to be allocated by the end of the year.
The schemes which are now funded are worth more than £365m, with an overall DfT contribution of £275m. The rail projects are:
- Midland Metro light rail extension through central Birmingham to New Street station, with a new depot and replacement of the existing tram fleet with 19 new vehicles plus an option for six more (£75·4m DfT contribution towards a total cost of £129·2m).
- Leeds Station Southern Access new station entrance (£12·4m DfT contribution towards a total cost of £14·4m);
Schemes in DfT's 'development pool' include the £19m Coventry - Nuneaton Rail Upgrade with new stations at Ricoh Arena and Bermuda, the Croxley Rail Link project to divert London Underground's Metropolitan Line into Watford Junction, the Leeds Rail Growth package, additional vehicles for Sheffield Supertram, and the Leeds New Generation Transport trolleybus scheme.
