Last week we received some good news, the Government has committed millions of pounds of further investment in Cannock Chase. In the House of Commons on Thursday, I was thrilled to be able to welcome the news that Staffordshire County Council’s bid for £20 million for transport investment had been successful, some of which will be spent here in Cannock Chase.
This latest success follows the £20 million funding that Cannock Chase District Council secured from the first round of the government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2021. That investment will see Cannock town centre regenerated and undergo a much needed transformation.
This latest funding was secured from the second round of the Levelling Up Fund. I am sure you will agree that this is extremely positive news that we have been successful in securing investment from the Levelling Up Fund in both rounds - not a bad success rate! It also demonstrates that this Government is passionate about levelling up, particularly here in Cannock Chase and the wider Staffordshire area.
From this funding more than £9m will be spent on highways improvements on the A34 between Cannock and Stafford. Cannock will benefit from increased walking and cycling routes to complement the town centre regeneration plans and links to the railway station.
Local bus services will see significant investment too. Approximately £4.2m will be invested in Staffordshire’s local bus services to introduce either the latest generation Euro VI diesels or electric-powered buses on certain busy routes, as well as improving bus stops and changing priority at junctions. Bus routes benefiting from this new investment include the No 74 Chaserider service between Stafford and Cannock and the No 875 Select Buses service from Stafford to Cannock (via Penkridge).
I am sure you agree that this continued investment in Cannock Chase is great news to start 2023 as we look at ways to drive the local economy, create jobs and prosperity. Of course, we can always do more and I will continue to promote Cannock Chase in Parliament, will seek out new projects and campaign for further investment across Cannock Chase. And of course, if you have any ideas please do let me know!
As always, if you require my help with anything, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone on 01543 877142.
