Corbyn’s rail vow for North
LABOUR LEADER MAKES CROSSRAIL PLEDGE
A LABOUR government will deliver improved transport links, more houses and jobs in the North East, the party’s leader Jeremy Corbyn has said.
Speaking at the Blyth Workshop in Blyth, Northumberland, he pledged to create a “crossrail for the North” to transform the region’s economy.
Mr Corbyn said the plan was part of a wider commitment by the party to close the investment gap between the South and North of England.
“There’s a massive imbalance of investment across the country,” he said.
“There is six times as much transport investment in London compared to the North East, for example. There has to be a change in that.
“We want to see a national investment bank which will invest equally and fairly across the whole country and remove that degree of imbalance.”
Describing infrastructure at “crucial”, Mr Corbyn said the party was hopeful a crossrail system could be created to link the North’s major cities.
He added: “The main roads are obviously important, so are the railways and railway development, so we are keen have a crossrail for the North.
“An efficient, electric railway across the North from Manchester to Newcastle because at the moment the train infrastructure is poor.”
Mr Corbyn was in the region on Thursday to visit the former Blyth Power Station site, which is being turned into an employment zone. Northumberland County Council’s development company Arch is leading the project, which they say could create hundreds of new jobs.
With plans to market the site, Arch is preparing it for new investment by removing the last remnants of the power station and upgrading a dock on the site.
The East Sleekburn Enterprise Zone will eventually become an employment hub for the marine, energy, oil and gas sectors.
Mr Corbyn was given a tour of the site before meeting with business representatives in the energy industry.
When asked about the development, he said: “It is providing new opportunities for enterprises to be set up. It is really exciting stuff.
“By having Arch and the investment, it will bring in £25m in the future and it has helped to reduce the effects of Tory austerity on the people of Northumberland.
“What you need is a local council that wants to invest in good quality housing for local people and brings good jobs to the community.”