'˜We need action not words' over A19 road safety says MP

Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington, has said the Department for Transport is repeating the same lines as a mantra when he wants to see action.

It follows the frustrations he voiced last week, when he highlighted how a year on from the launch of our Safe A19 campaign, action is get to be taken on calls for a safety review into the route.The appeal, backed by our petition, supports Mr Morris in his fight for an inquiry into the cause of collisions.

He is sure driver error is not the cause of collisions and jams, which hit the region’s economy and have an impact on investment into its economy and spoke out after the points he made in a video 12 months ago remained a cause of concern.

The Department for Transport has said the Government is spending more than £13 billion to transform transport in the North by 2020 and in support of its growth.

It has said while Britain has some of the safest roads in the world, it is always looking at ways to make them better.

A spokesperson for the department added: “We have invested hundreds of millions of pounds in upgrading roads in the north, including the A19, where we are currently improving the Testo’s and Downhill Lane Junctions.

“Since 2011, Highways England has delivered safety improvements at 10 sites on the A19 alone.

”The department said it has already confirmed a number of improvements for the A19, which it expects to save hundreds of lives in years to come.

It also said the North will receive more investment per person - £1,039 - than the South - £1,029 - over the years 2017/18 to 2020/21.

But Mr Morris has hit back and said: “We want more than warm words from the Department for Transport as there is a vast difference between government rhetoric and the realities on the ground.

“Our region is being ignored by the Government.

“The Minister is being completely disingenuous about transport investment.

“London’s Crossrail 2 is predicted to cost in excess of £30 billion; High Speed Rail will cost £80 billion but terminates at Leeds; and a third runway at Heathrow will require billions in public guarantees to facilitate its construction.

“Research by IPPR found the north would have received £59 billion more in investment over the last decade if we received the same level of per person funding for infrastructure as London.

“The Tories once promised to rebalance the economy; yet nearly a decade later they are widening the regional economic divide and diverting billions of pounds to London and the South East.

“This is all coming at the expense of our region which requires substantial investment in our basic transport network such as the A19.”

*Our petition can be signed via https://bit.ly/2fuEZ20.