£170 million of funding is being allocated to 29 transport projects that will support the development of new housing, announced Housing Minister Margaret Beckett and Transport Minister Paul Clark.

Good transport links are essential to any new housing development, and this funding will unlock the potential in several regions for delivering the new homes that will help to ease long-term housing need from first time buyers and families on waiting lists.

The 29 projects, paid for from the Community Infrastructure Fund, will deliver a range of new vital transport projects across the regions such as rapid bus routes, pedestrian and cycle bridges, and improvements to road junctions. They will also protect and create 2,200 jobs and directly support 40,000 new homes to be built over the next decade, which in turn will further support employment, as part of the Government's fiscal stimulus to support the economy in the current climate.

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Ms Beckett said: "This funding will help to deliver new homes that we desperately need to meet long term demand from first time buyers and families on waiting lists. We know that good transport links are vital to successful communities and these projects will unlock the potential for new housing where it is needed. By investing today in tomorrow's infrastructure we are helping to ensure the foundations are in place to support economic recovery, while also creating and safeguarding jobs right now."

The 29 schemes allocated funding are all small to medium scale transport projects in locations that are committed to building more homes and are keen to deliver improvements to their transport infrastructure to support this growth, as part of the Government's specially designated Growth Areas and Growth Points programme.

(CD/JM)