Northern leaders demand £7 billion transport budget

Leaders from across northern England have called on the Government to commit to a ‘Northern Budget’, aimed at delivering transport improvements in the region.

They are urging a £7 billion Northern Infrastructure Pipeline of ‘shovel-ready’ road and rail projects, to be completed by the mid-2020s.

They also want commitments to deliver the £39bn Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) network by 2040, and for £1bn of funding for Transport for the North (TFN) to allow development of NPR and other rail and road schemes.

The call follows a pledge from new Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ‘turbo charge’ infrastructure by building a new high-speed railway between Manchester and Leeds, and commitments made during his leadership election campaign where he said TfN was making a “very, very good case” for NPR.

“The North is now at the top of the national political agenda, with promises to balance out the UK’s economy and unleash our potential by better connecting our towns and cities,” said TfN Chief Executive Barry White.

• For the FULL story, read RAIL 886, published on August 28, and available digitally on Android, iPad and Kindle from August 24.