After nearly 10 years of campaigning, local MP Marcus Jones has expressed his delight at securing the pipleline development funding for the Hinckley - Nuneaton - Tamworth section of the A5 to be included in the current road improvement programme.

This means that funding will now be available to complete the business case to turn the A5 between the M69 and M42 a dual carriageway, with a view to completing the construction by 2030.

Nuneaton’s voice in Parliament has worked for many years with neighbouring MPs to get to this point, which means that there is now a highly realistic prospect that the nightmare traffic congestion and danger at the junctions of the Long Shoot and Woodford Lane could be solved.

The MP would naturally like changes to be made more quickly, but sees today’s announcement as a massive step forward.

Talking of the decision he said:

“This is part of the Budget and the biggest Transport infrastructure funding announced for over 40 years. I’m delighted that after a long campaign we are now getting the funding that should enable us to turn the A5 between the M69 and the M42 into dual carriageway. With the housing and commercial development that’s happening and planned along this stretch of the A5 corridor this is welcome news that will make a massive difference. I will continue to push to these improvements to be delivered as quickly as practicable.”