A40 strategy timetable set out

By the end of 2015, the council expects to have consulted on and selected the preferred options for the Local Growth Fund scheme, which has had £35million of funding approved, with construction on the scheme expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

An initial baseline assessment of the A40 has already been completed by the county council, which has been made available on the council’s website.

On Friday, a stakeholder workshop was hosted by the county council with representatives from local councils and neighbourhood groups to help inform the next stage of the work by identifying issues, constraints and possible options for the A40 corridor. The county council has commissioned consultants to look at the feasibility of a wide range of options.

These consultations will also inform the development of the long term strategy for the corridor, as part of the Local Transport Plan 4, which will take the strategy up to 2031.

The Local Growth Fund scheme will be subject to a full business case process review by the Department for Transport and this early work will put the county council in a good position to meet the requirements to ensure the funding for the projects is released on schedule.

The presentation, on the baseline conditions experienced on the A40 corridor that was provided at the Stakeholder workshop has also been put onto the website alongside the baseline assessment. Click here to see more.

Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet Member for Transport said: "I welcome this work to engage stakeholders in the early stages of developing a long term solution for the A40. Looking ahead, this will put is in a prime position to ensure the funding is made available on time, meaning the improvements aren’t delayed."