Category: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: DRC: UK provides urgent lifesaving aid to victims of escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Ms Patel’s call came as she announced vital lifesaving support for hundreds of thousands of victims of political insecurity and increasing levels of violence in the DRC.

The crisis has forced 3.8 million people to flee their homes, resulting in widespread malnutrition, disease and suffering in many regions of the DRC.

Ms Patel also called on international partners and the UN system to follow the UK’s lead and urgently step up support to this crisis, to prevent further unnecessary destruction and human suffering.

Over the next five years DFID’s humanitarian support will provide:

  • over 620,000 people with food assistance
  • 220,000 children under the age of 5 with vital nutrition
  • over 1.1 million people with access to clean drinking water
  • 900,000 with essential health care such as drugs for pregnant mothers
  • over 195,000 children with access to education
  • 12,000 survivors of trauma including gender based violence with psychosocial support and counselling

The International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

Millions of innocent people are suffering from malnutrition and disease after being forced to flee their homes because of the horrific violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Families have been separated, homes destroyed and people are living in desperate conditions, in what is fast becoming one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The UK government has not hesitated to act and is leading the way by providing essential food, water and medicine, but it is vital the international community also urgently steps up to ensure the displaced people of the DRC are not forgotten.

Notes to Editors

  • This support is an allocation of £175 million for humanitarian aid from the DRC budget.

  • The DRC has the highest number of internally displaced people in Africa with 3.8 million forced to flee malnutrition, disease, violence and insecurity to find safety in other parts of the country. In the first six months of 2017 the DRC had the greatest number of newly displaced people in the world.

  • 7.7 million people in the DRC don’t have reliable access to their next meal, 1.9 million children are suffering from life threatening malnutrition, and outbreaks of cholera, measles and malaria are exacerbating the situation.

  • The UK is a major humanitarian donor in the DRC. Over the past five years (2012-2017) we have provided £168 million to the response, which has included:
    • Emergency food support for over 125,000 children under 5
    • Support for over 11,000 women and girls who have been victims of sexual or gender based violence, including psychosocial therapy
    • Income support for over 62,000 of the poorest households (360,000 people)
    • Access to safe water for over 2.1 million people
    • Education for 4,000 internally displaced children in DRC

  • Since the start of the crisis in the Kasais in 2016 DFID has supported displaced and affected people with household items, livelihood support, and provided support through the Humanitarian Fund for distribution of aid and protection monitoring.

  • DFID has also provided additional funding of £4.6 million for the Kasais in July of this year supporting UNICEF’s Rapid Response to Movements of Population mechanism for the Kasais. This is allowing UNICEF and their partners to provide:
    • 50,000 people with items such as blankets, soap, buckets for fetching water and clothes plus access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and health care
    • 4,000 children with vital nutritional support
    • Protection and support for 7,000 children affected by violence

Link: Press release: DRC: UK provides urgent lifesaving aid to victims of escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Welsh SMEs urged to seize new UK government backed export finance opportunity

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will call on Welsh SMEs to capitalise on new UK Government backed finance to help gain access to global growth markets when he attends the Fast Growth 50 awards this evening (20 October 2017).

Mr Cairns will deliver a keynote speech at the 19th Fast Growth 50 gala dinner in Cardiff, where the best of Welsh entrepreneurship and the fastest growing businesses in Wales will be showcased.

The Secretary of State will highlight a new £2million UK Export Finance (UKEF) partnership with five High Street banks designed to enable SMEs in Wales to access support directly from their bank in seconds, without the need to apply separately.

The fund will help businesses like those on the Fast Growth 50 list, become part of major export contracts around the world.

Since its inception in 1999, the 551 companies that have featured on the Fast Growth 50 lists have so far created over 34,000 jobs and generated an estimated £18 billion for the Welsh economy.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The Fast Growth 50 ceremony is a key date in the Welsh business calendar. It presents a welcome opportunity to reflect over the year that has passed, and to celebrate the many successes that businesses have worked tirelessly to create.

So many of the companies that have decorated the FG50 rosters over the years are now delivering services and exporting their products right around the globe.

The UK Government wants to do more to ensure Welsh businesses take advantage of every opportunity available to them to grow and expand into new markets.

The support provided by UK Export Finance is a valuable resource for businesses throughout the whole of the UK, Wales included. Unleashing the potential of companies such as those we will celebrate this evening will be key to ensuring the Welsh economy continues to prosper.

Wales is already an exporting nation. There are currently more than 3,800 businesses in Wales that export, with a combined value of £13billion in the first quarter of 2017. Wales is also an attractive place for inward investment, with latest figures showing that 85 foreign direct investment projects were secured in Wales, creating 2,581 new jobs and safeguarding almost 9,000 more.

The Secretary of State for Wales has recently written to over 26,000 Welsh businesses identified as potential exporters including a copy to the Wales Export Guide. The Wales specific guide sets out the full range of support available to Welsh businesses from the UK Government and contains inspiring stories of companies based in Wales that are successfully exporting. You can read the guide online here.

Notes to editors

  • For further information on the Fast Growth 50 awards, visit their website

  • Read more about the UK Export Finance fund here

Link: Press release: Welsh SMEs urged to seize new UK government backed export finance opportunity
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: The British army women’s football team visits Kuwait

The British army women’s football team visited Kuwait on 16-19 October as part of a regional tour which also includes UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. They played a match with the Kuwaiti national women’s football team. They also conducted a series of community outreach events, including football and fitness coaching sessions at schools to raise awareness of the benefits of sport and promote positive opportunities for women in sports related activities.

The British Ambassador held a Great branded reception in his house for the British and Kuwaiti teams as well as senior officials from Kuwait Football Association. The visit helped in strengthening sports and cultural ties between the youth in both countries. It also reflected UK’s commitment to see more women in sport. The visit also helped to kick start Kuwaiti women’s football . The media coverage of the visit both on social media and mainstream media was substantive with many positive comments .

Link: Press release: The British army women’s football team visits Kuwait
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Welsh Secretary: “DevOpsGuys are leading the charge in Welsh digital transformation”

Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns supported the opening of a new Cardiff HQ for tech start-up DevOpsGuys on 18 October. The software development company founded in 2013 now employs over 85 people across its London and Cardiff offices, with the aim of delivering practical IT engineering and consultancy solutions to clients including BAE Systems, Vodafone, gocompare.com as well as various UK Government departments.

The firm contributes in excess of £14m into the local economy via investment in the tech community and building strong relationships with universities through its internship and graduate schemes.

The new office will be based on Greyfriars Road in the capital.

Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns said:

The tech sector across the UK and Wales is growing rapidly, and firms such as DevOpsGuys are making sure that knowledge in this field stays in the local area.

I’m delighted that DevOpsGuys has flourished and is addressing challenges in digital transformation, and provides vital training and support to interns and graduates, strengthening the local economy.

The UK Government is committed to investing in digital infrastructure which has for too long been a barrier to economic growth across Wales. I’m pleased to see an increase in research and development funding – by £2bn a year by 2020/21 – which will help Wales build on its strengths in this field and make it a more innovative economy for the years ahead.

Link: Press release: Welsh Secretary: “DevOpsGuys are leading the charge in Welsh digital transformation”
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Latest NCMP data show obesity in reception children rises again

New National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) data show the number of obese children in reception year has risen for the second consecutive year – to 9.6% in the 2016 to 2017 school year, up from 9.3% in 2015 to 2016. For year 6 children, it has remained stable at 20%.

The latest data from the NCMP, overseen by Public Health England (PHE), also shows a stubborn gap between the richest and poorest. In the most deprived areas, 12.7% of children in reception year are obese, compared to 5.8% in the least deprived. Obesity in year 6 is 26.3% in the most deprived areas, compared to 11.4% in the least deprived.

Today’s report (19 October 2017) underlines the importance of PHE’s work to tackle childhood obesity. This includes working with the food industry to reduce sugar and calories in the foods children eat the most.

Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at PHE, said:

Children deserve a healthy future and these figures are a reminder that addressing childhood obesity requires urgent action.

There is no single solution to reverse what’s been decades in the making. We need sustained actions to tackle poor diets and excess calorie intakes. We’re working with industry to make food healthier, we’ve produced guidance for councils on planning healthier towns and we’ve delivered campaigns encouraging people to choose healthier food and lead healthier lives.

Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from poor self-esteem, bullying and tooth decay in childhood. They are also more likely to be overweight or obese adults, which can lead to a range of preventable illnesses including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

With the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan published a year ago, significant steps are already being taken to help children avoid a lifetime of poor health.

In addition to PHE’s work to reduce sugar and calories in food, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy has become law and will take effect from April 2018. Leading retailers and manufacturers have announced they are, or already have, lowered the amount of sugar in their products as a result of these programmes.

PHE’s Change4Life campaign is also helping millions of families to make healthier choices through meal swap suggestions and the Be Food Smart app, helping parents to identify the sugar, salt and fat in food. It also supports schools to help them embed healthier habits into everyday school life.

Progress on childhood obesity will be monitored through the yearly NCMP data but, with obesity rates increasing over many years, significant change will take time.

Eustace De Sousa, National Lead for Children, Young People and Families at PHE, said:

A healthy weight in childhood lays the foundations for decades of healthy life as an adult. This data underlines how important it is for families to talk about health and weight as part of everyday life.

Each year, more children leave primary school overweight or obese and our most deprived areas are the worst affected. It’s never too soon to make a change and there is lots of support from councils and Change4Life to help.

PHE press office

Jamie Mills
Communications Officer

Link: Press release: Latest NCMP data show obesity in reception children rises again
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Reforms to boost Wales’ digital infrastructure

People in areas of Wales and the rest of the UK with poor mobile coverage will soon get a significant boost to their connections thanks to UK Government action to speed up the rollout of mobile and broadband services.

Reforms made today to outdated legislation will reduce the costs of housing phone masts and other communications infrastructure on private land. This opens the way for faster and more reliable broadband and mobile services, particularly in rural areas.

Changes to the UK’s Electronic Communications Code will:

  • bring down the rents telecoms operators pay to landowners to install equipment to be more in line with utilities providers, such as gas and water;
  • make it easier for operators to upgrade and share their equipment with other operators to help increase coverage;
  • make it easier for telecoms operators and landowners to resolve legal disputes.

UK Government Minister for Wales Guto Bebb said:

I welcome the changes made today as they enable rural areas of Wales to keep pace with the digital transformation happening across the UK.

Faster broadband and mobile service seeks to benefit everyone; from local businesses looking to boost productivity and capacity, to residents who want continuous, superfast coverage.

The UK Government is committed to speeding up service and investing in new communication infrastructure, strengthening the Welsh economy. Thanks to reforms like these, the journey to digital transformation is well underway for all communities in Wales, regardless of how rural they are.

Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital, said:

It’s not good enough that many people are struggling with poor mobile and broadband connections which is why we are improving coverage across the UK.

We want everyone to benefit from the growth of digital services. Removing these outdated restrictions will help promote investment in new technologies such as 5G, and give mobile operators more freedom to improve their networks in hard-to-reach places.

By the end of the year all mobile operators are required to deliver coverage to 90 per cent of the UK and 95 per cent of all homes and businesses will be able to get superfast broadband, but more needs to be done.

These reforms will help to drive investment and stimulate the continued growth, rollout and maintenance of communication technology infrastructure, an increasingly significant area of the UK’s economy.

Hamish MacLeod, Director of Mobile UK said:

The Electronic Communications Code is an important piece of the puzzle alongside further planning reform that will help mobile operators to overcome the challenges they face with expanding their networks, while also developing innovative services for customers.

Good mobile connectivity is no longer an optional extra. It is essential infrastructure as core to modern economic activity as broadband, electricity and other essential services.

Mark Talbot FRICS, Chair of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Telecoms Forum Board, said:

RICS recognises the critical role that a modern, efficient and equitable digital infrastructure has on the future development of the UK economy. RICS has worked closely with our colleagues in DCMS to ensure that the new Code enables investment in our national digital infrastructure whilst balancing the needs of the public and private property owners.

With high speed internet seen by many as the fourth utility service the public and businesses expect access to digital services when they want and as they want, and RICS believes that the reformed Code is a great step forward towards this ultimate goal.

The old Electronic Communications Code was originally enacted in 1984, and became out-of-date as technology evolved, making it difficult for landowners and network operators to reach agreements and resolve disputes when rolling out modern digital infrastructure.

The Government reformed the Code through the Digital Economy Act, which received Royal Assent in April. The supporting regulations laid in Parliament today will bring the new Code into force, which is expected to take effect in December 2017.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

  1. The Government has today laid draft regulations in Parliament needed to commence reform of the Electronic Communications Code. The changes will help ensure network providers achieve the coverage and connectivity targets set by government to reach the hardest-to-reach places in the UK.
  2. The Electronic Communications Code (the Code) is the legislative framework that enables electronic communications network providers to construct electronic communications networks.
  3. The Code was reviewed by the Law Commission in 2012 which recommended reform, and the Government has carried out extensive consultation with all stakeholders before bringing forward the amendments to the legislation.
  4. For further information on reform of the Electronic Communications Code:

Link: Press release: Reforms to boost Wales’ digital infrastructure
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: £15billion road upgrade plan updated to minimise congestion

Plans for twenty-six road upgrades have been revised to reduce roadworks taking place in the same area of the network or on popular journey routes at the same time. This will mean less congestion for motorists as Highways England embarks on the biggest road upgrade plan for a generation.

The Supplementary Delivery Plan published today will see Highways England rescheduling its programme for the schemes between three and 24 months – meaning a number of schemes will be completed earlier than planned. All are still set for delivery as part of the Government’s first road investment strategy.

Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive said:

Our update today is a sensible and responsible way to deliver major national investment in road infrastructure. It will keep our roads moving, deliver a lasting legacy for the country and ensure best value for money for the taxpayer.

Now, more than two years into delivery of a £15 billion Government investment in motorways and major A roads, Highways England has already completed 18 major schemes, adding more than 190 lane miles of much-needed capacity to the nation’s roads.

The 10 schemes being brought forward are:

  • A19 Testos
  • A19 Downhill Lane
  • M56 junctions 6-8 smart motorway
  • M6 junctions 21a – 26 smart motorway
  • M6 junction 22 upgrade
  • A500 Etruria
  • M6 junction 10
  • M4 Heathrow Slips
  • A47 Acle Straight -small scale improvement
  • A47 and A12 junction enhancement

The 16 schemes being re-scheduled to smooth the timing and frequency of roadworks are:

  • A5 Dodwells to Longshoot widening
  • M3 junction 9 improvement
  • A31 Ringwood
  • M27 junctions 4-11
  • A47 North Tuddenham to Easton
  • A47 Blofield to North Burlingham dualling
  • M25 junction 25 improvement
  • M25 junction 28 improvement
  • A1 Birtley to Coal House
  • M60 junctions 24-27 and junction 1-4 smart motorway
  • A47/A11 Thickthorn
  • A47 Wansford to Sutton
  • A47 Guyhirn Junction
  • A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening
  • M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange
  • M25 junctions 10-16

Highways England is obliged to ensure that investment in the road network delivers good value for money. Following a full review the Road Investment Strategy (RIS) programme some schemes require further development to achieve an acceptable return on investment. As a result, in addition to the 26 schemes above, 6 schemes have been paused for further review and consideration as part of future RIS planning process.

These schemes are:

  • A1 & A19 Technology enhancements
  • M11 junctions 8 to 14 technology upgrade
  • A12 whole-route technology upgrade
  • M53 junctions 5-11 smart motorway
  • A14 Junction 10a
  • M62/ M606 Chain Bar

Two further schemes required rework to achieve value for money; however, changes in local development plans mean that these schemes can be progressed, albeit in the early stages of Road Period 2. These are:

  • M5 Bridgwater junction improvements
  • A50 Uttoxeter Project B growth corridor project

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Link: Press release: £15billion road upgrade plan updated to minimise congestion
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: New guidance to help charities comply with financial sanctions

New guidance has today been published by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) to help ensure compliance with financial sanctions which are designed to support UK foreign policy and national security.

OFSI works closely with charities, regulators and banks to understand common challenges faced by those operating in some of the most hostile environments.

The move was prompted by requests, notably from smaller charities, asking for clearer information on issues affecting the sector so they could ensure they complied.

Rena Lalgie, Head of OFSI, said:

We realise that charities often operate in challenging environments. This practical guidance is an important step in our efforts to raise awareness of financial sanctions and help charities and NGOs better understand their responsibilities.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Charity Commission in England and Wales, and its equivalents in Scotland and Northern Ireland, to further the UK’s sanctions and humanitarian aid policies.

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at The Charity Commission, said:

We have listened to feedback from our outreach work with charities operating internationally. Some charities weren’t aware that it is illegal to receive money, goods or economic resources from – or send these to – an individual or organisation subject to financial sanctions unless they have a licence or an exemption applies. Others found it challenging to navigate the rules about this. We’re pleased to have worked with OFSI on the guidance to address this knowledge gap.

We will continue to work proactively and collaboratively with international charities and other authorities to ensure that laws designed to restrict access to finances to terrorists and others are complied with, without impacting the important, often life-saving, work of many charities in high-risk areas around the world.

Further information

This guidance helps clarify what activity may be permitted under an OFSI licence and how to apply. It also promotes various sources of information and advice available to charities and NGOs, including OFSI’s email and telephone enquiry service and the Charity Commission’s toolkit for charities and NGOs.

The new guidance document is available on OFSI’s guidance page.

Link: Press release: New guidance to help charities comply with financial sanctions
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Boris Johnson announces new prosperity programming for Mexico

This will build on a number of successful UK-backed programmes in the country, and will open up the Mexican market to UK businesses in the energy, future cities and financial services sectors.

By helping to improve Mexico’s business environment and supporting the Mexican government to develop policies that foster an open market, the investment, worth around £60 million over the next four years, will boost the longstanding UK-Mexico partnership, increase prosperity for both countries, and create opportunities for new business, including those from the UK.

The UK has supported a number of successful programmes in Mexico in recent years, including the creation of a competitive renewable energy market, which has already resulted in millions of pounds worth of business for UK companies.

The new prosperity programme will also increase the country’s recovery and resilience efforts following the recent earthquakes by promoting better infrastructure projects and increasing access to financial products such as insurance. Currently, just 5% of Mexicans have building insurance, while more than half of the population has no access to any financial services at all.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Britain has had a close relationship with Mexico ever since the UK became the first European country to recognise its independence almost two centuries ago. The relationship has endured to this day, and our two countries continue to strengthen links in areas as diverse as trade, security, culture, education and tourism.

This new funding will give a significant boost to Mexico’s economic development and reform, which is good news for the UK. Mexico is already implementing an ambitious package of economic reforms, including opening up the energy and telecom sectors. Helping Mexico to build stable, well-regulated markets and reduce barriers to trade will create more opportunities for British companies.

Our trade with Mexico stood at more than £3.6 billion in 2015, but the potential is much greater. This programme is the first step in unlocking that potential, to the benefit of both Mexico and the UK.

Notes to Editors

The UK’s work in Mexico

  • In 2016 the UK supported local authorities to introduce cost-effective ways to encourage people to use alternative transport to improve urban mobility in Mexican cities. The success of this work led the Mexican government to allocate 15% of its Metropolitan Fund for sustainable mobility, which in turn lead to increased opportunities for British companies.

  • The UK helped Mexico to adopt new financial mechanisms by supporting the design of Mexico’s Green Bonds market from 2014 to 2017. We also assisted in the creation of a new Advisory Council which helped create a new multi-billion dollar market for Green Bonds, and supported the creation of the Mexican carbon platform to trade emissions with other markets.

  • In 2015 we helped develop a Community Policing model to increase trust in Mexico’s police forces, an initiative that was publicly welcomed by President Pena Nieto. A strengthened business environment is good for UK business.

  • Figures from the Mexican Association of Insurance Agents suggest that just 5% of the Mexican population has buildings insurance, only 15% have life insurance, and more than 50% of the population have no access to any financial services product.

The Guest of Government visit

  • The talks form part of a Guest of Government visit by the Foreign Minister on 17-19 October, during which he is also meeting the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for International Trade, HRH The Duke of York and The Lord Mayor of The City of London.

  • The Foreign Ministers are also expected to discuss a range of other issues, including the two country’s shared positions on Venezuela and North Korea, and how they can work together to tackle climate change and the illegal wildlife trade.

  • They will also discuss how the UK and Mexico can further strengthen economic ties, including through high level economic talks that are due to take place in Mexico City in 2018.

  • Foreign Minister Videgaray’s visit follows successful visits to Mexico by the then Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in May 2016 and Secretary of State for International Trade in July 2017, and a visit to the UK by the Mexican Minister of Economy in April 2017.

Further information

Media enquiries

For journalists

Link: Press release: Boris Johnson announces new prosperity programming for Mexico
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Timetable outlined for £300 million A47 improvements

Highways England will dual three parts of the 115 mile stretch of the A47 between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth, and improve several junctions and roundabouts, with work starting as early as 2018. Work on the first of the improvements – a junction upgrade at Great Yarmouth will now start next year, up to 18 months sooner than expected.

Preferred routes for each of the A47 upgrades were announced in August following public consultations earlier in the year. Until now, the date given for all of the schemes was between 2020 and 2021; today’s timetable spaces them out more evenly to ensure that there will not be too many sets of roadworks happening at the same time.

The details are in Highways England’s supplementary delivery plan, which has been published today and includes an update on how Highways England is delivering the Government’s £15bn road investment across the country, which includes a £1.5 billion project already underway to create a new 21-mile A14 link road between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive said:

Our update today is a sensible and responsible way to deliver major national investment in road infrastructure. It will keep our roads moving, deliver a lasting legacy for the country and ensure best value for money for the taxpayer.

Work to improve the A47 includes dualling the A47 between North Tuddenham and Easton, further east between Blofield and North Burlingham, along with junction improvements at the Thickthorn Interchange with the A11 plus two busy junctions in Great Yarmouth, on what was formerly the A12. Further west at Peterborough, the work involves dualling a busy stretch between Wansford (A1) and Sutton, and improving the Guyhirn junction with the A141 .

The improvements to the junctions at Great Yarmouth have now been brought forward, and will be completed between 2018 and 2019, while a package of safety improvements on the Acle Straight have already been completed.

Meanwhile the A47 works to improve the A11 Thickthorn junction and the Guyhirn junctions will start between 2020 and 2021. Work to dual the A47 between Wansford and Sutton will also start around that time. Dualling the A47 between Blofield and North Burlingham and from North Tuddenham to Easton, will start between 2021 and 2022.

The supplementary delivery plan also includes updated timings for widening the A12 between Chelmsford and the A120 – now scheduled to begin later in the 2020-21 financial year. All are still set for delivery as part of the Government’s first road investment strategy. Two technology upgrades – on the A12 and M11 – require further development to show value for money and have been paused for consideration in a future Road Investment period.

Six consultations into the £300 million A47 upgrades were held between 13 March and 21 April this year. In total, 1,447 people had their say, with 1,333 attending the 19 public events. The six projects are all part of the Government’s record £15 billion investment in England’s motorways and major A roads, with £3 billion of that being invested in the East of England.

A47 North Tuddenham and Easton

Option 2 was chosen for the dualling between North Tuddenham and Easton, which will see the A47 upgraded to dual carriageway along its existing route, with the alignment been amended to address some of the key concerns raised.

A47 Blofield to North Burlingham

For the Blofield to North Burlingham dualling, option 4 was selected which will see a new stretch of dual carriageway built a little to the south of the existing A47.

A47 Thickthorn Interchange with A11

The consultation was about a single option for the junction improvements, which will now see delivered a direct link from the A11 northbound to the A47 eastbound, and similarly from the A47 westbound to the A11 southbound, alleviating congestion at the roundabout.

A47 Great Yarmouth junctions (formerly A12)

At Great Yarmouth, the Vauxhall roundabout will be enlarged and fully signalled, and get an extended bridge and a new slip road. There will also be minor improvements at the Station Approach junction, while the Gapton roundabout will be significantly improved as it is widened and fully signalled too.

A47 Wansford to Sutton

Option 2 was chosen for dualling the A47 between the A1 junction at Wansford and the dual carriageway section west of Peterborough. This will include building a new dual carriageway to the north, at the western end, and to the south, at the eastern end. There will also be a dedicated slip road from the A1 southbound to the A47 eastbound to alleviate congestion at the junction. Since the consultation, the alignment has been amended to address some of the key concerns raised.

A47 Guyhirn

The single option proposed for the Guyhirn junction will see the roundabout enlarged and the road over the River Nene Bridge widened to three lanes to ease congestion.

For more information about our plans, visit the scheme website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Link: Press release: Timetable outlined for £300 million A47 improvements
Source: Gov Press Releases