DfT spending
East Midlands and the South West receive the lowest government investment per head on England‘s railways.
THE East Midlands received the lowest government investment per head on England’s railways in 2014-15, according to statistics released by Rail Minister Claire Perry on June 8.
Just £34 per person was spent in the East Midlands, compared with £353 in London (the highest figure on the list). Yorkshire and Humber received £98 per head, followed by the North West with £93 and the East of England with £71. The East Midlands was joined by the South West (£35) at the bottom of the table.
Perry was responding to a Commons Written Question by Jamie Reed (Labour, Copeland). In her response, Perry highlighted investment on the Great Western Main Line and in London, adding: “We are fully committed to investing in the North as part of our ambitious plans to build a Northern Powerhouse. That is why we are spending £13 billion improving the region’s transport, reversing decades of underinvestment, providing better journeys and securing long-term economic growth.
“We are investing £22 million in improving Newcastle station and its surrounding areas, and in the next few years passengers will see improvements including more services, more capacity and the scrapping of Pacers, as well as a fleet of new trains for the East Coast Main Line.”
The figures drew a disappointed response from Lincolnshire, with Richard Davies, the county council’s executive member for highways and transportation, saying: “It’s
very disappointing that Lincolnshire is in the lowest region in terms of government investment in railways. We are keen to see more investment in rail services and will continue to lobby government to achieve this.
“The East Midlands rail franchise will be re-let by the Department of Transport soon, and we will be using that opportunity to lobby for better rail services for the county. We’d also like to see more passenger trains, as well as specific improvements such as a bridge over the East Coast Main Line near Newark, which would allow more services to run on the Lincoln to Nottingham line.
“Rail services have a big part to play in the transport network of Lincolnshire, and improving them is crucial to encouraging more visitors and businesses to come here.”
The Confederation of British Industry reiterated the importance of investment in Britain’s railways.
Head of Infrastructure Mark Dittmer-Odell said: “It’s clear that our railways are a key driver of business growth right across the country. Eight out of ten firms now see the network as crucial or important to their operations.
“Moreover, with 95% of firms across the UK keen to see Network Rail’s £38 billion investment programme delivered over the course of the Parliament, it’s essential we focus on seeing projects through on time, to budget and with adequate skills in place.”