Transport future high on agenda at summit for northern leaders
TRANSPORT LEADERS from across the North will discuss how to deliver new and better transport infrastructure across the region when they gather for a major summit later this year.
The Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum Keynote Seminar on December 4 will be attended by Jonathan Spruce, strategic director of Transport for the North (TfN). Also there will be the Department of Transport official responsible for the North and devolution and senior officials from Highways England and Network Rail.
Organisers say the event in Manchester will be an opportunity to discuss key measures from TfN’s strategic transport plan setting out the region’s priorities for the next 30 years.
They will also debate “the next steps for delivering the sustainable and innovative infrastructure system needed to underpin regional development and economic growth”.
Other topics on the agenda include the potential improvements to road routes across the Pennines and the role metro mayors can play in developing transport links between cities.
Earlier this year, think-tank IPPR North said Ministers must finally commit to “big, transformative” transport projects in the North instead of disputing claims about the decades of under-funding for infrastructure.
Without significant investment and new powers similar to those enjoyed in London, it said “we will continue to live in a nation which is dangerously unbalanced”.
The think-tank’s analysis shows that from 2017/18 onwards, planned transport infrastructure spending per person will be five times higher in London than in Yorkshire and the Humber.
This contradicts figures released by the Government before Christmas, which said that spending in the three northern regions per head would slightly higher than in the South between 2017/18 and 2020/21.