Start date for A38 project not expected until 2026

The planned works to the A38 have been in development for more than two decades

Road bosses say a start date for a major project to increase the capacity of the A38 in Derby will not be announced until March 2026 at the earliest.

The multimillion-pound scheme to create flyovers and underpasses at the Little Eaton, Markeaton and Kingsway roundabouts was approved by the government in July.

National Highways said details for the start of the work will be included in the government's next Road Investment Strategy, which is not scheduled for publication until March.

The project has been working its way through the planning process since 2014.

The scheme is designed to cut congestion on this stretch of the A38, where local traffic meets vehicles travelling between Birmingham and the M1.

It will use a series of flyovers and underpasses to allow traffic to flow more freely.

Road Period 2 (RP2) was a five-year period, from April 2020 to March 2025, during which the government invested in England's strategic road network (SRN)

Public consultation on how to improve the road started in 2001, but has been repeatedly paused, leading to the plans being redesigned and then challenged in court by campaigners.

The Stop the A38 Expansion group said figures showed the project was forecast to cost £650m, a £400m increase on the £250m estimate given in 2019, with the figures confirmed by the Office of Rail and Road using National Highways data.

In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Roads are the backbone of our economy, which is why we are giving them the record funding boost they need, putting taxpayer's money where it matters most and making every day journeys easier.

"The A38 Derby Junctions scheme will save commuters, businesses, and freight thousands of hours every week, and help support over 15,400 new homes, driving economic growth across the region."