Northern transport body ‘still reports to London’
Funding fears despite pioneering new powers
THE NORTH’S new strategic transport body will “constantly need to seek permission from Whitehall officials” to develop vital projects despite it being given pioneering new powers from the Government, it was claimed last night.
The creation of the first body of its type in the country to drive forward transport plans for the North was announced yesterday.
Transport Minister Jesse Norman laid down legislation which starts the process to turn Transport for the North into a statutory Sub-national Transport Body, with new legal powers and duties.
It means that, from April, TfN will have the power to produce a statutory transport strategy for the North which the Government must formally consider when taking funding decisions.
It will also be able to fund organisations which deliver transport projects, work with local authorities to fund and promote road schemes and make smart ticketing a reality in the region.
The announcement confirms that the body will not have the decision-making powers and ability to raise money enjoyed by its equivalent body in London, though this could still happen in years to come.
Jim O’Neill, one of the architects of the Northern Powerhouse project and an ex-Treasury Minister, questioned whether it would allow for TfN ultimately having the same powers as Transport for London. Lord O’Neill, a board member of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, which represents business and civic leaders, praised the commitment to a ring-fenced budget for the High Speed 3 rail line across the North.
But he said: “However, this announcement falls short from giving TfN its own funding to work up future studies on transport priorities between cities that need significant improvements, such as by rail between Sheffield and Manchester. It is unacceptable once TfN becomes a statutory body for them to constantly need to seek permission from Whitehall officials.
“It is time for Department for Transport to follow through with the same degree of confidence in what the North can do to shape its own future as we at Northern Powerhouse Partnership have.
“Forty officials sat in London second-guessing us here in the North is not any use to any of us.”
Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister, described TfN as a “game-changer, with powers to speak with one voice on Northern transport projects and drive forward ambitious plans”.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who was criticised for his perceived lack of investment in Northern transport, is visiting Yorkshire today.
THE CHAIRMAN of Transport for the North clearly has more faith in his organisation’s ability to make the most of the much-reduced policy powers being sanctioned by Parliament than longsuffering commuters here.
Though John Cridland CBE and his team have clearly done a lot of work pulling together 56 local authorities ahead of the launch of a Strategic Transport Plan, the quango already has its work cut out.
For, while the North is the first region in the country to receive specific transport powers from the Government, responsibility for smart ticketing only goes so far – TfN has not been afforded the freedom given to its counterpart in London. Its role is to ‘advise’ Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who can veto plans.
Despite this ‘landmark’ announcement, it’s also unclear whether the Government will make the necessary funding available to TfN to upgrade the region’s road and rail network – trust in Mr Grayling is, frankly, at an all-time low after he snubbed a Commons debate on this very issue where it emerged that the Transport Secretary has still to reply to a letter sent by MPs in the North-East four months ago on July 17.
As such, next week’s Budget is a timely opportunity for the Government to make a fresh start. It should not hesitate to do so. Former Treasury Minister Jim O’Neill’s call for Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor Philip Hammond and the aforementioned Mr Grayling to make a joint statement in support of the Northern Powerhouse is a sensible one.
With renewed suggestions that the Northern Powerhouse is, once again, stuttering because of Downing Street’s post-election political vacuum, such an undertaking might provided some much-needed impetus and signal an end to the mixed messages that are stalling progress. After all the potential prize is a significant one if, for example, high-speed rail in the North, and other long-overdue schemes here, had the same status as Crossrail 2 in London – a four per cent increase in productivity, investment of up to £100bn and the creation of 850,000 new jobs by 2050. Surely someone in the Government’s upper echelons will recognise the size of this opportunity?