Transport for the North says it is ‘adamant’ that a plan to complete Northern Powerhouse Rail is needed now.
The call comes after the news that £15.6 billion is to be invested over the next five years in local rail and tram networks, mostly in the North and Midlands. This announcement was followed by the Spending Review and the government’s ten-year Infrastructure Strategy, while an updated Infrastructure Pipeline is expected soon.
TfN also pointed out that a recent study by the IPPR thinktank exposed the lack of transport investment in the North compared to London over past decades.
A meeting of the TfN Board in Liverpool yesterday welcomed the latest announcements of transport investment in North of England cities but called for more, saying that further spending should include rural and coastal areas. It also welcomed progress on the TransPennine Rail Upgrade, with electrification between Manchester and Leeds well underway.
Members of the Board said outstanding projects include new lines via central Warrington, Manchester Airport and Bradford, major upgrades to routes linking Sheffield, Leeds and Hull, and improvements to the East Coast Main Line, including reopening the Leamside Line.
TfN chair Lord McLoughlin said: ‘The North’s political leaders know that better connectivity can unlock sustainable and inclusive growth. While welcoming the commitments in the recent Spending Review, we also need to see Northern Powerhouse Rail become a reality for our communities and businesses and now is the time for a clear plan to make it happen.
‘We need to be able to give our industries and our young people the certainty to look ahead and see transformational infrastructure happening to help build a better future for the North.
‘We want to see decisions made by the North, for the North, in the North.
Meanwhile, Northern has announced that it is strengthening the electric Class 331 units running between Leeds, Ilkley, Skipton and Bradford Forster Square from this week. Some trains will be lengthened from three or four cars to six, providing more than 5,400 extra seats a day.
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