MPS backing funding bid for ‘growth corridor’
MPS have backed a £3 million bid for Government funding to further develop the Fifty500 Midlands Growth Corridor.
The bid, which has been delivered to Downing Street, calls on the Government to allocate £3 million from the Spring budget to further develop plans for a 90km road from Crewe to Nottingham.
The route is home to many world-class manufacturers including Rolls-royce, JCB, Toyota, Alstom, Michelin and Nestle, and is one of Europe’s leading centres of hydrogen research and manufacturing, especially for zero-emission vehicle engines.
Fifty500 is an initiative led by Staffordshire County Council to create highly skilled jobs and better transport links along the A50 and A500, linking global businesses and universities across Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The £3 million would allow the creation of plans for a regional supplier park, transfer of freight off roads to the railway, innovation centres to further develop new products, developing net carbon zero business premises and the creation of a Midlands Industrial Energy Plan.
The official launch of Fifty500 took place on February 28 at the House of Commons.
The event, hosted by Kate Kniveton MP, was attended by about 100 businesses and parliamentarians including Transport Secretary Mark Harper, who voiced his support for the project.
Major manufacturers including JCB, Toyota and Rolls-royce also attended to champion the county councilled initiative. Deputy leader Philip White, above, said: “Fifty500 is a nationally significant transport corridor and is already a major hub for advanced manufacturing and the development of zero emissions engine technology.
“The Fifty500 Midlands Growth Corridor is a sustainability-led initiative that has the potential to link over a million individuals and half a million job opportunities.
“I’m very pleased so many MPS, world leading businesses and academic institutions have come out in support of our vision to transform the corridor into one of the primary locations for sustainable growth and investment in the UK.”
The bid was submitted based on consultations with businesses and universities on the route. If successful, proposals expected to create 5,000 more jobs and add £100 million in gross value added by 2030 can be progressed.