Black Country Chamber slams Government’s transport plans

THE Black Country Chamber of Commerce has said it is disturbed by a shelving of transport investment plans.

Colin Leighfield, who chairs the chamber’s transport group, said such a decision could prove costly to the area as firms were already struggling against aging infrastructure.

He said Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin’s decision to implement changes in the management of Network Rail were also worrying.

“Some of the Secretary of State’s announcement on Network Rail CP5 Investment Programme is disturbing,” said Leighfield.

“We now believe that rail infrastructure is overspent and investment plans for 2015-20 will be deferred to 2020-25. If this is true it means that projects to improve transport infrastructure and unleash economic growth such as Midlands Connect will not even be considered for another 10 years. This is completely unacceptable especially at a time when the Secretary of State for Transport has accepted the Davies Commission recommendation to expand Heathrow and with it the £5bn on rerouting the UK’s busiest road, the M25.

“We do not know if the £5bn includes the cost of a tunnel but it represents more than six times the annual capital spend on the West Midlands public transport infrastructure.”

He also said the move spelt problems for the latest attempts to gear up the West Midlands as a rival to the Northern Powerhouse.

“We have criticised politically driven prejudice towards the Northern strategy: it appears that the Midlands Engine is now being held in complete disregard in favour of both the North and South. We will be pursuing a business led strategy to boost the use of Birmingham Airport and to get the M54, A5 and A41 journey to Birkenhead designated as a European Route in view of the amount of exports to Ireland,” said Leighfield.

The transport group chair said it was also an outrage that 60,000 trucks had been allowed to stand idle for 18 hours on the M20 as a result of the disruption to the Eurotunnel and the Port of Calais.

Leighfield said Operation Stack was “the worst possible nightmare for manufacturers” as it would further disrupt journeys and squeeze margins.

He also said hauliers were being placed in a difficult position and it was wrong for them to be penalised for the failure of others.

“The cost of the delays and the inherent danger to drivers is simply not acceptable,” he said.

“Furthermore, when drivers do report illegal immigrants in their wagons, their companies are being fined. Hauliers are being asked to do the border force’s job, with officials unable to cope with numbers of want-to-be immigrants and although a Walsall haulage company had its fine reduced on appeal, they ended up paying £18,000. Whilst authorities are struggling, Black Country businesses are risking becoming uncompetitive with delays and unplanned costs eating into profitability. Policy makers need to understand the simple mantra that businesses drive up wealth.”