Last week, professional services giants, Addleshaw Goddard, Grant Thornton and Atkins launched a report calling on the Government to make a revolutionary funding commitment in the Autumn Statement and devolve Northern transport powers without delay.
The report said that spending commitments in the North per head should exceed those of London over the next decade. The unprecedented move would free Transport for the North to make the decisions that matter for the region in its bid to grow as an economic powerhouse after years of underfunding.
Currently, Government spending on transport is more than six times greater per head in London and the South-East than in the North – a gap of £1,600 per person*. This is despite the Northern economic area being larger than London, with 15.1m residents, as opposed to 8.7million.
The ‘Unlocking Growth in the North’ report was the outcome of a series of events over the last year, involving over 100 organisations, to discuss how to boost growth in the North and rebalance the UK economy.
The report, which is publicly backed by several leading businesses across the North including Drax Power, Siemens UK, Hitachi Rail Europe and Amey, calls for the full and swift devolution of powers matched with the funding commitments required to help transport commissioners make the decisions that matter for transport infrastructure in the North. This includes improvements to Northern roads, rail and ticketing systems, as well as better freight connections and East-West links. The report also explores long-term pathways for private investment in transport infrastructure.
The report calls for the existing roadmap towards transport devolution to be strengthened and expedited. Transport for The North applied to become a statutory body last month after Government announced the move in the summer budget in 2015.
Responding to The Chancellor’s recent anouncements, Philip Dyer, Northern Powerhouse Director at Atkins design and engineering firm said:
“The Chancellor has placed economic growth and quality of life at the heart of his infrastructure decisions. Being clear on these outcomes means that the most pressing needs around housing, roads, railways and digital networks feature at the top of the priority list.
“The £1.8bn local growth fund for the regions and £1.1bn extra investment for English local transport networks is also a welcome step forward. We look forward to seeing what this will mean for communities and businesses in the North of England, and how an additional pot of £23bn earmarked as a national productivity investment fund can be allocated fairly across the country to help the Northern Powerhouse fulfil its potential.”
Unlocking Growth in the North report facts:
Figures from IPPR North analysis published on 8th August, revealed transport spending in the North of England averages out at £280 per person, compared with £1,870 per person in London. For further information and data, visit: http://www.ippr.org/news-and-media/press-releases/transport-secretary-urged-to-close-1-600-per-person-london-north-spending-gap
The report is the outcome of four separate events in Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and York over the last year. Agreed priorities include:
- Urging the government to recognise Transport for the North as a statutory body without delay;
- Campaigning for more frequent, faster and higher capacity rail services alongside investment in the East-West road network to connect the North to itself;
- Provide the strategic funding required to deliver the Northern Transport Investment Plan, which sets out a roadmap towards delivering more than £97bn in real terms gross value added and 850,000 additional jobs by 2050.
Fact Box: The Northern Powerhouse by numbers:
- 15.1m people
- £289bn economy
- 1m businesses
- 29 universities
- £55bn annual exports
