The Department for Transport has approved £90m of funding for four major roads schemes in England.

The projects aim to speed up travel times in Wiltshire, Leeds, Essex and Buckinghamshire.

The schemes approved are:

• A350 Chippenham Bypass phases 4 and 5 in Wiltshire
• A647 Dawsons Corner and Stanningley Bypass in Leeds
• South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
• A127/A130 Fairglen Interchange in Essex

The A350 Chippenham Bypass, one of the most important routes connecting the South West with the Midlands and South East, is expected to see journey times reduced by up to a quarter, with two sections of the road to be dualled and improvements made to the roundabout.

The area around the A647 Dawsons Corner and Stanningley Bypass in Leeds has seen high traffic levels worsen over the years, impacting bus services in particular. The replacement of the roundabout and structural renewal of the bypass is expected to increase the number of bus passengers, speeding up traffic for all modes of road transport.

The Dawsons Corner and Stanningley Bypass scheme is a £42.679m project – with £35.709m coming from the DfT.

The scheme was granted planning permission in October 2022. Subject to contractor approvals the main works are planned to start later this year and will take up to 15 months to complete.

Upgrades to the SEALR scheme will reduce air pollution in the town centre, link up new developments in the area and create more walking and cycling options, with a new 1.2 kilometre 2-lane dual carriageway link road.

This scheme is also essential in enabling further housing development, which could see up to 1,000 homes added to the local area.

Drivers in Essex will also see faster journeys, as well as improved safety on the A127/A130 Fairglen Interchange.

The scheme will see enhancements to the interchange and surrounding roundabouts, serving thousands of drivers every day. Basildon and Southend town centres are expected to see growth and the scheme will also improve capacity for the route serving London Southend Airport.

The government says residents will benefit from reduced traffic on more local routes as well as better road safety and better access to jobs in the area.

Businesses are expected to save time and money, as goods can travel more freely with improved access to a key part of the UK’s road freight network.

The future of roads minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “The UK’s roads are the backbone of a growing economy, which is why we’re giving these vital schemes the go ahead, helping deliver our Plan for Change.

“Economic growth has been stunted for too long, so we’re giving the green light and investing in vital schemes to help people get from A to B more easily however they choose to travel.”