Geoff Hoon says a further 拢300m of transport spending will be bought forward in addition to the 拢700m announced yesterday

Around 拢1bn of transport schemes will be brought forward next year to help stimulate economic growth, the government announced today.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon said 拢300m of extra funding would be used to speed up schemes to improve transport links to airports and ports.

This is in addition to the 拢700m announced in yesterday鈥檚 pre-Budget report, which the government said would go towards improving road and rail networks.

Speaking to the House of Commons today, Hoon said he would use the money to tackle congestion and ease the country鈥檚 busy transport network.

He said: 鈥淐ongestion, whether it is on our roads or railways, is not just a nuisance to travellers, it is also a tax on the productivity of our businesses, and if left unchecked could become a brake on growth.

鈥淭hat is why I am today accelerating plans to make better use of Britain's motorways and why I am also earmarking a further 拢300m to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on road links to key airports and ports.鈥�

As part of the 拢700m funding package announced yesterday, the Department for Transport has pledged to accelerate construction of a road link between Newark and Widmerpool in Nottinghamshire and delivery of 200 new train carriages earlier than planned.

The extra 拢300m announced today includes 拢165m for a road link near Manchester airport, 拢54m to boost the North London rail line and 拢60m for traffic management measures around Felixstowe and Harwich ports.

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