£6bn funding hope for North’s railways

TRANSPORT: The Government has insisted rapid investment in the North’s railways is vital to the nation’s economy amid reports a multi-billion pound announcement is due to be made this week.

Reports yesterday suggested that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is poised to announce a £6bn investment.

THE GOVERNMENT has insisted rapid investment in the North’s railways is vital to the nation’s economy amid reports a multibillion pound announcement is due to be made this week.

Reports yesterday suggested Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is poised to announce a £6bn investment into northern railways this week, and the creation of a new Northern Transport Acceleration Council to push through the trans-Pennine upgrade.

The Sunday Times newspaper reported the new body was expected to deliver Boris Johnson’s “Project Speed” promise to hasten the delivery of infrastructure upgrades, with a government Minister due to sit on the council.

The newspaper reported Ministers believe the current body, Transport for the North (TfN), is a “talking shop” which has done little to bring forward rail upgrades.

But experts pointed out that TfN does not have the funding, or powers, to deliver the upgrades.

And the trans-Pennine upgrade has been consistently kicked down the road since it was first included in the 2011 Autumn Statement.

Since then, the electrification of the line between Manchester and Leeds has been promised in the 2015 and 2017 election campaigns, but is yet to come to fruition.

Reports also pointed towards plans for a Department for Transport hub in the North, adding to previous reports of other government departments, or the Houses or Commons and Lords, looking to move to areas such as York.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed last week a government hub in the North was being explored.

Yesterday, a DfT spokesperson said: “We’ve been clear that, as we rebuild from Covid-19, we must invest in revitalising towns and cities across the North, to ensure we kickstart our economic recovery, deliver rapid improvements to journeys for passengers, and accelerate the delivery of key projects.

“We are working closely with Northern leaders to determine how to ensure that vital investment is delivered swiftly and effectively. We will announce further details in due course.”

In a speech last month, the Prime Minister said he had set up “Project Speed” with Chancellor

Rishi Sunak in order to “scythe through red tape and get things done” in order to build better, greener and faster.

The idea is to cut down the time it takes to develop, design and deliver vital infrastructure projects, and it will look at existing projects to see how it can address outdated practices and identify blocks to progress.

More information is expected in a National Infrastructure Strategy in the autumn.

It comes after three non-executive directors were appointed to the HS2 board last week to strengthen the scrutiny of the UK’s largest infrastructure project. Elaine Holt, Ian King and Tom Harris will respectively take up the roles of infrastructure specialist, government representative and community engagement leader, to improve how HS2 Ltd is managed.

Mr Johnson announced in February that the landmark highspeed rail project would go ahead despite concerns over the escalating costs of delivering HS2.

A Government-commissioned review led by former HS2 Ltd chairman Doug Oakervee leaked in January said the project could cost £106bn, nearly double the £56bn HS2 was allocated in 2015.

Mr Shapps has stressed that the Government has a “clear commitment” to get “a laser-like focus on cost control and transparency”.

We must invest in revitalising towns and cities across the North. Spokesperson for the Department for Transport.