Members to agree £135m spending on highway projects and consider role in advocating transport improvements on national level

At the Environment, Development and Transport committee meeting, on Friday 19 January, members will be considering items including the budget, the allocation of more than £135m of spending on a range of highways projects, lobbying for improvements to the A47 and railways, and the next steps in the Great Yarmouth third river crossing project.Members also be considering two reports which could see the county council both continuing and boosting its role of advocating improvements to Norfolk’s transport network that are not within the authority’s control but are vital for the future prosperity of the county. The first item members will be considering is the authority’s response to a consultation on Highways England’s Strategic Road Network Initial Report which looks at development of the trunk road network from 2020 to 2025. Councillors will hear that the report provides an opportunity for the county council to reaffirm its priorities for the A47 and influence government investment decisions and the future shape of the trunk road network so that maximum benefits can be realised for the county. The consultation on the report is running until 7 February.And, continuing the role of advocating improvements to Norfolk’s transport network, members will be looking at how the county council could better ensure that rail industry performance is accountable. An option for the committee is to task the Norfolk Rail Group with reviewing how it operates with a view to making it a stronger and more effective group. Councillors will also be considering whether to nominate a Member for the board of Community Rail Norfolk.Members of the committee will also receive an update on the council’s project to build a third river crossing in Great Yarmouth, with a focus on the process required to appoint a contractor to build the bridge. This is the first meeting of the committee since the council was allocated a Government contribution of £98m to support the crossing in the Autumn Budget.