The A14 Challenge

On 12 December 2011 the Department for Transport, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Suffolk Councils launched the A14 Challenge as flagged in November's National Infrastructure Plan 2011 (NIP11). The challenge seeks to find solutions to congestion on the A14. Nick Maltby explores how these might be funded.

Central to the challenge is the need for innovative ideas to finance major road improvements, which may include both tolling for enhanced capacity and other cost sharing arrangements (such as capturing land value increases). The Government hopes to engage the development industry, financiers, local authorities and LEPs in the challenge. Steer  Davies Gleave has produced a report accompanying the study. The Government is looking for a solution which will deliver the upgrade for significantly less  than the previous budget of £1.2bn.  If the challenge is successful it seems likely that it will be rolled out more widely. Responses were due at the end of January and