EXTRA lanes could be added to parts of the A50 and roundabouts removed as part of a multi-billion-pound Government investment.

The road around Uttoxeter was among those listed for improvements in the Government’s national infrastructure spending plans for the next two decades.

Exact costs for this part of the project are not yet known but, in total, about £375 billion of investment in energy, transport, communications and water projects are planned across the UK.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury said the cash would pay for improvements to deal with “congestion pinch-points” on the A50, to the west and east of the town.

She said this could involve “taking out roundabouts, new junctions” and the Government has not ruled out adding extra lanes.

Asked for more details, she said: “It’s in the early stages of development. There will need to be work with Staffordshire County Council and the Highways Agency to design the plan.”

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said of the investment: “This is great news for the people of the UK because, after years of neglect, the UK’s energy, road, rail, flood defence, communications and water infrastructure needs renewal.

“It will boost the UK economy – creating jobs and making it easier to do business.

“It will also make the UK a better place to live for everyone who calls it their home.”

But Mr Alexander denied there was a north-south divide in how spending was being allocated, saying: “There are projects going on in every part of the country.”

Previous infrastructure spending programmes have been criticised for slow progress but he said, of the 646 projects outlined in the plan, 291 had already been started or completed.

At the same time as the plans were revealed yesterday, it was also announced insurers would invest £25 billion in national infrastructure.

But the Treasury spokeswoman said none of this money – coming from Aviva, Prudential, Legal and General, Scottish Widows, Friends Life and Standard Life – would be spent on the A50 works. She said no decision had yet been made on where it would be spent.

Mr Alexander said: “This is also a massive vote of confidence in the UK economy.”