THE Government has announced £780,000 funding to make a business case for road improvements aimed at reducing congestion.

The money will fund the creation of a business plan to make improvements to the A689 corridor from Wynyard to Hartlepool town centre.

The scheme is aimed at increasing capacity, reducing congestion, improving journey times and facilitating business growth.

While the design work is at an early stage the funding could be used to undertake a number of junction improvements along the A689 in the Wynyard area, capacity improvement on the A19/A689 interchange, pedestrian and cycle bridge crossings of the A19, wider cycle and pedestrian connectivity.

It could also include a series of improvements at strategic points west of the A19 into the centre of Hartlepool such as Wolviston services and the petrol station at Morrisons.