Ports: Infrastructure
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the level of constraints affecting port connectivity in England, including a) road and b) rail access.
Answered by Keir Mather
Government is aware of the importance of efficient road and rail connections to enable ports to be effective gateways for trade and handle increasing volumes of freight. The Government is delivering major projects to provide a step change in port connectivity, with the Lower Thames Crossing in the South and Trans Pennine Route Upgrade in the North. In March 2026, the Government announced over £27 billion of investment in the Strategic Road Network through the third Road Investment Strategy, which includes a new performance metric for National Highways to reduce delays on gateway routes. In addition, Great British Railways will work to improve rail access with an overall target of a 75% increase in rail freight moved by 2050.
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