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A powerful group of MPs, local authorities and business leaders in Nottinghamshire are to present a united voice as they step up the campaign to secure much-needed government approval and funding for the widening of the A453.

The group will invite Philip Hammond, the Secretary of State for Transport, to Nottingham to present the business case for proceeding with the A453 improvement scheme, ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review announcement on 20 October.

Plans to widen the road were deferred indefinitely earlier this year as part of government cuts designed to save £6.2bn in the next year. It is thought the scheme, which could cost up to £194m, would deliver estimated economic benefits of more than £320m to the region.

Consensus to step up the campaign was reached this morning at a meeting at Alliance Boots between Nottingham MPs Vernon Coaker, Lillian Greenwood; Anna Soubry, MP for Broxtowe; Cllr Kay Cutts, Notts County Council leader; and Cllr Jane Urquhart, Portfolio-holder for Transport at Nottingham City Council, which was brokered by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce.

More than 20 key Nottingham businesses were also in attendance or gave support, including Trent Barton, East Midlands Airport, Imperial Tobacco, Nottingham Trent University, Experian, Price Waterhouse Coopers and the Broadmarsh and Victoria shopping centres.

The group will now compile a dossier of evidence in support of the A453 duelling scheme, which will be presented to Phillip Hammond MP before the Comprehensive Spending Review is announced in September.

George Cowcher, chief executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber, said: “It is very pleasing to get businesses, local authorities and politicians from all sides in agreement on this issue. We all recognise how important it is that the investment is secured to dual the A453 and we will be stepping up our efforts to ensure that this happens by taking this campaign to the very highest level.”

Lillian Greenwood MP, who is also a member of the Transport Select Committee, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to meet across party political divides and all agree that the upgrade of the A453 is absolutely vital to the future economic development of not just Nottingham, but the entire region.”

Cllr Jane Urquhart, Portfolio-holder for Transport at Nottingham City council, said: “It’s really great to see everyone pulling together in support of the widening of the A453. We need to ensure that this campaign is maintained at the very highest level and out forward the case that the A453 is a key economic driver not just for Nottingham and the wider region.”

Anna Soubry MP said: “The A453 is the priority transport investment for the city, county and region. As such, today was an important day which saw key representatives from politics and business come together, determined to make sure that the widening of the A453 becomes a reality.”

Cllr Kay Cutts said: “This was an extremely productive meeting, with everyone who attended in the same mind that the dualling of the A453 is vital to the economy of the city and county, with wider implications for the airport and access to other areas of the UK. In such stringent times, no-one can afford for this scheme to be held back any longer