An extra £1 billion will be invested in major transport projects next year, transport secretary Geoff Hoon has said.

This includes the £700m fiscal stimulus announced in yesterday's pre-Budget report, as well as £300m of new government funding for UK airports and ports.

"I want people and business to be able to choose how and when they travel and to do so reliably, comfortably and safely,” said Mr Hoon.

“I therefore remain committed to tackling the problems of congestion and crowding, while at the same time reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions.

"Congestion, whether it is on our roads or railways, is not just a nuisance to travellers, it is also a tax on the productivity of our businesses, and if left unchecked could become a brake on growth.

“That is why I am today accelerating plans to make better use of Britain's motorways and why I am also earmarking a further £300 million to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on road links to key airports and ports."

Road works include:
 

• Introducing hard-shoulder running on around 500 lane miles
• Providing a new fast link between the A1 and M1 by dualling the missing section of A46 from Newark to Widmerpool
• A new road link between Manchester Airport and the A6 to the east.
• Up to £60m on introducing new traffic management measures along 54 miles of the A12
• Up to £30m to help improve access on the A160/A180 to Immingham Port on the River Humber.