Switch government road spend to local rail alternative solutions and cut emissions and congestion whilst boosting sistainable growth!

The Government’s recent spending review paused Phase 3 of the Midland Mainline electrification—despite clear evidence it would deliver nearly £400 million in local economic benefit, create 5,000 skilled jobs, reduce emissions, and transform rail capacity across the East Midlands. At the same time, ministers are planning to waste hundreds of millions on the A38 Derby Junctions road expansion—an outdated, disruptive road scheme whose true costs remain unknown and whose Full Business Case won't be published until June 2026. 

Adjusted for inflation, the 2019 estimate of £250 million is already worth around £320 million today and likely far more as similar schemes like the A50 and M3 Junction 9 have doubled in cost in recent years. Despite weak and outdated economic modelling, the Government continues to back this road scheme and others, ignoring that expanding road capacity induces extra traffic and locks in more air pollution and carbon emissions. In contrast, electrified rail can reduce diesel use, improve air quality, cut operating costs, and support transport modal shift to reduce congestion on roads.

 Write Now to Demand Change Use our simple letter-writing tool to contact key decision-makers: Push them to reallocate funding to Phase 3 of the Midland Mainline electrification. Tell them to cancel the A38 road expansion. Urge full transparency: the updated A38 Full Business Case must be published Personal stories make campaigns stronger: explain why you care about clean air, jobs, reliable rail, or your local community. Politely remind politicians of the urgent climate and economic case for rail over roads. Together we can hold the Government to account and help build a future that invests in rail, jobs, public health, and a livable climate—not more traffic, pollution and tarmac.

Can you join me and write a letter? Click here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-write-to-politicians-demand-rail-investment-scrap-the-a38-expansion?source=email&

Simon makes some sound views and arguments and we encourage people to email their MP and get behind the rail agenda push and lower emissions as a result of switching funds from road to rail more please. See: 

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1