Big step forward for Northern plan for transport investment
PLANS TO invest billions of pounds in transport in the North in the hope of generating thousands of extra jobs take a significant step forward today.
Transport for the North, the body charged by Ministers with drawing up the plan, has published details of nine “corridors” in the North of England where it considers improvements will be vital in the coming decades.
The corridors including trans-Pennine routes between Yorkshire and the North West, improving connections from the region and Scotland via road and rail and developing better links between the west coast and South Yorkshire.
TfN’s final plan will be published later this year to take a long-term approach to improving transport connections across the North. The plan will include detailed proposals for the Northern Powerhouse Rail, a project to upgrade existing track and build new lines to create a high-speed network.
In a boost for Bradford’s hopes of securing a station on the NPR network, the documents confirm TfN is looking at the case for intermediate stops. The proposals will also look at ways of making trans-Pennine traffic less reliant on the M62.
TfN’s chief executive David Brown said: “The work presents a compelling case for change, underlining the economic and strategic benefits of improving freight and passenger transport across the whole of the North to drive economic growth.
“We want to enable the North to make a more significant contribution to the UK economy, through higher productivity, while also increasing job opportunities.
“This will require the delivery of a sustained and aspirational investment programme across the North to build infrastructure, strengthen skills, harness innovation and encourage smart and innovative technology.”
Previous analysis by TfN has suggested the right transport investments could help add almost 900,000 extra jobs to the economy of the North by 2050.
It is estimated £100bn could be added to the value of the northern economy over the same period by better connecting towns and cities.
TfN wants to move away from individual projects being considered in isolation by the Government but instead put forward measures that are developed over the longer term.
The work presents a compelling case for change. David Brown, Transport for the North chief executive.