Mersey Gateway and Thames Gateway bridges among those that will be spared in cuts

A number of key infrastructure projects are likely to escape the axe when the government publishes its comprehensive spending review this week.

Following a number of reports at the weekend detailing measures to scale back the budget deficit, chancellor George Osborne has indicated that a number of key infrastructure projects which were under threat will go ahead in the hope that they will fuel economic growth.

Speaking on BBC1鈥檚 Andrew Marr Show Osborne said: 鈥淲e have got to make some tough decisions, but the priority is healthcare, children鈥檚 education, early year鈥檚 provision and the big infrastructure developments鈥�.

Among the schemes which are still likely to go ahead are London鈥檚 16b Crossrail link, the Mersey Gateway bridge, the Thames Gateway bridge, investment of 拢69m in the diamond synchrotron project in Harwell, Oxfordshire as well as 拢230m to help 2m homes in rural areas access faster broadband speeds by 2015.

Today shadow chancellor Alan Johnson will set out the opposition鈥檚 plans for a 拢7bn, plan to fund road building and other construction.

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