TfN urges a commitment to transport investment
POLITICAL and business leaders from across northern England have written to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps calling for more investment to help rebuild the region’s economy post-COVID-19.
Changes to ticketing, speeding up delivery of shorter-term rail improvements and accelerating Northern Powerhouse Rail all feature in the letter sent by Transport for the North to Shapps on June 17.
The letter, signed by TfN
Chief Executive Barry White, claims there are already projects that could be included in a
Northern Infrastructure Pipeline that are “ready to go from this autumn”. These include smart contactless ticketing on rail and rapid deployment of contactless payment on light rail and urban rail networks.
The introduction of hydrogen trains on the Tees Valley is called for, as is hybrid battery technology for Northern trains on the Windermere branch and on Merseyrail.
“We’ve always said the
North cannot wait at the back of queue, and that we need a clear and committed pipeline of initiatives to reverse decades of underinvestment. Our Economic Recovery Plan puts forward tangible ways in which the Government can show commitment to that levelling-up agenda,” said White.
As part of TfN’s Economic Recovery Plan, it’s suggested that staff should be employed directly on the Northern Infrastructure Pipeline schemes and that an immediate injection of capital into the North’s economy is required, “as HS2 is now doing in the South”.
Better integration across transport modes, to create a joined-up approach at both regional and local levels, is called for. Accelerating the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) also remains on the wish list.
Longer-term initiatives highlighted to support the economic recovery include fast tracking decisions on various promoted rail schemes, such as reopening the Skelmersdale line and the quick delivery of major station upgrades at Darlington.
TfN argues that rail freight is also key to recovery. It highlights
the need to improve access for TeesPort, Humber Ports, Port of Tyne and Port of Liverpool, as well as improving capacity on key routes including W12 gauge clearance as part of TRU and on diversionary routes such as the
Calder Valley and Copy Pit.
“The impact of the COVID-19 crisis reinforces the call of our Board over the past year for a devolved ’Northern Budget’ - allowing for investment decisions to be made by the people who live and work in the North of England,” wrote White.
He added that a comprehensive programme of schemes will be submitted after a TfN board meeting on July 29.