The UK Government has today announced funding for more than 50 strategic road and rail upgrades across England and Wales.
The programme is expected to unlock over 42,000 jobs, enable the delivery of 39,000 new homes, and deliver faster, more reliable journeys for commuters and businesses nationwide.
Backed by £92 billion in investment, the upgrades are part of the government’s Plan for Change – an ambitious effort to reduce congestion, stimulate economic growth, and deliver long-term transport improvements that support regional opportunity.
Confirmed road projects include major upgrades across the North and Midlands such as the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine route, the M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire, and the Simister Island interchange in Greater Manchester.
These schemes aim to cut journey times, improve freight efficiency, and open up access to new employment and housing developments.
On the rail network, the government has approved the reinstatement of passenger services between Portishead and Bristol city centre for the first time in more than 60 years. Three brand new stations – at Wellington, Cullompton, and Haxby – will bring thousands more people within reach of the railway and improve access to regional hubs such as Exeter, York and Leeds.
In the Midlands, the Midlands Rail Hub – the region’s most ambitious rail investment to date – will receive significant government backing. This will create faster, more frequent services for over 50 locations and boost capacity on key routes into Birmingham, while supporting nearly 13,000 construction jobs.
Elsewhere, the East Coast Main Line will benefit from new digital signalling to reduce delays by a third and improve reliability, while creating nearly 5,000 skilled jobs across the supply chain.
These projects mark the largest investment in the UK’s transport infrastructure in a generation. They are designed to make everyday journeys quicker and more dependable, connect communities, support greener growth, and help build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.
Blake Richmond, Chief Operating Officer at Resonate Group, said, “It’s encouraging to see increased investment in the UK’s rail infrastructure, particularly in long-overdue regional upgrades and new connections that promise to bring more people and places into the network. More efficient rail services are about more than just reducing journey times, they’re about unlocking economic growth, improving access to jobs and essential services, and driving a fairer distribution of opportunity across the UK.
To fully realise these benefits, it’s vital that infrastructure improvements are supported by modern, data-driven technologies. Intelligent digital tools can enhance coordination between track and train, optimise network performance, and deliver safer, more reliable journeys for passengers. By combining physical upgrades with smart, real-time operational systems, we can build a rail network that truly meets the needs of a modern, connected Britain.”
