The chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed that £15.6 billion is to be invested in public transport for urban areas outside London over the next five years. She has also indicated that more rail investment is set to be announced next week.
The plans announced today include a new Manchester Metrolink line to Stockport, a Midlands Metro extension connecting Birmingham City Centre to a new sports quarter, work starting on the new mass transit system connecting Bradford and Leeds via Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield and Pudsey, renewals of the South Yorkshire tram network by replacing the fleet with modern trams, an extension of Tyne & Wear Metro to connect Washington with Newcastle and Sunderland, upgraded railways near Bristol to improve the service from the new Brabazon estate to the city centre, as well as funding to pay for the development of a mass transit system in the Greater Bristol area including Bath, a new mass transit system to connect Derby and Nottingham and a platform extension at Middlesborough.
The Chancellor, who was speaking at the Mellor Bus Factory in Rochdale, said: ‘For the first time, the Treasury takes account of the benefits, and not just the costs, of investment.
‘Together the fiscal rules mean that, unlike our predecessors, we will not be balancing the books by cutting investment.
‘Next week, I will set out our plans in full – for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; in housing, in energy, in roads and in rail. But today, I want to tell you about just one part of our plan – renewing our transport systems in England’s largest mayoral regions, including here in Greater Manchester and across the North and the Midlands.
‘Because connectivity is an absolutely critical factor in unlocking the potential of towns and cities outside of London. One of the areas in which previous governments have promised most, but delivered least. And that will now change.’
Transport for the North chief executive Martin Tugwell said: ‘Better connectivity is fundamental to unlocking sustainable and inclusive growth. If people are unable to move around easily because of poor transport options it means the whole local economy is held back.
‘These vital investments will help to improve the transport connections for our city regions. TfN is committed to working with our Mayors and political leaders in the North to help deliver these schemes.
‘We are also pleased to hear that the Chancellor has listened to the advice from TfN and others in the North to reform the Treasury’s "Green Book", to drive more investment in all regions. We will continue to work closely to inform that review with the North’s data and evidence.’
Mott MacDonald’s transport market lead for UK & Europe Thomas Knight said: ‘The overall commitment of an additional £15.6 billion for trams, trains and buses is a bold and welcome step that will help unlock economic potential, improve connectivity and support communities across the country.’
The chief executive of the Railway Industry Assocation Darren Caplan said: ‘RIA and our members welcome all investment in rail infrastructure, which benefits not just the industry but also supports increased economic growth and connectivity in every nation and region of the UK more widely, supporting jobs, GVA and Treasury revenues.
‘So we welcome the commitment by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today to change funding rules to ensure the Government “gives every region a fair hearing when it comes to investments”, as this benefits both the rail network and railway suppliers who build, renew and enhance rail – whether track or train related – all around the country.
‘RIA and our members have been working closely with Combined Authorities, mayors, and regional transport bodies on their regional rail plans in recent years, and will of course continue to do so.’
The Campaign for Better Transport has also welcomed today’s announcement. The charity’s chief executive Ben Plowden said: ‘It’s great to see the Government investing in the local transport infrastructure that will tangibly improve the lives of millions across our city regions and particularly good to see trams being prioritised in several areas.
‘Fast, frequent and reliable public transport is essential to unlocking opportunity and driving inclusive economic growth.
‘We hope to see similar commitments to revenue funding in next week’s Spending Review, alongside support for local authorities to plan, deliver and run the high-quality transport services their communities need.’
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