Road widening plan for future

It has been suggested that roads be widened

Experts have unveiled a billion pound plan to improve overloaded roads in the East Midlands.

The proposals, which were formulated over two years, include better access to East Midlands Airport by improving the A453 and junction 23A of the M1

There are also plans to upgrade a part of the A42 to a motorway and build a new river crossing at Burton on Trent.

Study manager Peter Gross said: "We are planning for the future, we are looking a long way ahead.

"These will come forward, some of them in the next 10 years but a lot of the major schemes won't be with us until 2021."

Environmentalists claim not enough thought has gone into getting people out of their cars.

Environmental campaigner Bettina Lange said: "Their own surveys show that the majority of people want more spent on public transport... and yet they are recommending new roads and road widening."

The plans are open to public consultation until November.