County council chiefs say diverting funding originally earmarked for HS2 to local projects will make a “positive difference”.
Staffordshire is to receive £285million from the Local Transport Fund.
The money will span a seven-year period and be available after the next General Election.
Cllr Philip White, deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council, said:
“The funding announcement is good news for Staffordshire.
“We have been asking for some time for the funding and freedom to decide locally on the transport improvements and the government has listened to what we wanted. This means we can focus on delivering those improvements that will make the most positive difference to help people get around the county more quickly and easily.
“We are aware that these sort of projects always involve disruption while construction work is happening so we will also use these new powers very carefully to only progress those projects where the long-term value to local people is worth that short term inconvenience.
“We have a strong track record in Staffordshire for the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects which gives us a strong case in securing funding from the government and attract private investment.”
Cllr Philip White, Staffordshire County Council
The Local Transport Fund can be used for a range of infrastructure improvements, including junctions, bus lanes, active travel plans, accessibility projects, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, street space improvements and new drainage systems.
It can also be used to unlock larger schemes such as railway station improvements and fund feasibility studies into wider transport projects.
Can he come back after the seven years with a definitive list of what was achieved and exactly how the money was spent? Especially that spent on feasibility studies.
A lot of talk about road inprovments Etc. Is this an opportunity to think outside the box and take some traffic off the very busy A38 to Burton on Trent and Derby and consider the idea that has been muted of extending the rail service from Lichfield to Burton and on to Derby with a station at the Alrewas Memorial Arboretum, which only accessable by private transport
The track is already their and is used by freight trains and the odd Cross Country train, so no great upheaval as road construction would entail.