Greater Birmingham Chamber welcomes Osborne’s transport funding

THE £5m handout awarded to the Midlands by Chancellor George Osborne for transport improvements to the region has been welcomed by the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
 
Paul Faulkner, chief executive of GBCC, said: “This goes some way to supporting the government’s commitment for the Midlands to be ‘Britain’s engine for growth’.
 
“This move helps to reaffirm the Chancellor’s assertion that future transport investment in the Midlands will help it act as a transport hub for the entire country.
 
“The funding will go some way to turning this ambition into reality.  We are at the heart of the country but we face major problems with our roads and rail connections in many places.”
 
Midlands Connect, which the GBCC helped to create, champions strategic transport investment across the entire Midlands region.
 
It has already issued a report identifying where the key transport connection networks are located in the Midlands area.  The project is now undertaking research to understand the key transport links for businesses in the region.
 
It is a collaboration of Midlands-wide Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Network Rail, the Highways Agency, local authorities and the business community.
 
Midlands Connect is currently undertaking a survey to learn what businesses want from transport projects.
 
GBCC policy adviser Stephanie Wall said: “We want to be able to clearly articulate, with one voice, what local businesses need from our transport networks as part of the Midlands Connect project.”  

Businesses have until July 17 to take part in the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/RG5GWBW

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