Transport body on right road to drive economic growth
MIDLANDS CONNECT, the partnership tasked with developing a transport blueprint to unlock economic growth across the region, has welcomed the call by Chancellor George Osborne for it to have formal legal status by 2018.
The group was not awarded any money in last week’s Budget but Andrew Cleaves, chairman of the Midlands Connect steering group, believes the Chancellor’s comments were “a vote of confidence” in what the group is doing.
Mr Cleaves said: “Last year we received £5 million in the budget, with which we are working to establish Midlands Connect. This is going well and when we are in a position to move further forward we will make our case to receive a similar level of funding to that of other similar bodies.
“In the meantime our chairman Sir John Peace will continue to work with leaders in the Midlands and the Department for Transport to identify further opportunities and ways to strengthen the Midlands.”
In his speech to the House of Commons Mr Osborne said he wanted Midlands Connect to be put on a statutory footing within two years as a sub-national transport body – a vital step in taking the group forward.
Doing so would give Midlands Connect statutory powers to develop a transport strategy with other public bodies such as Highways England and Network Rail.
Midlands Connect is a collaboration of 28 local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships from across the region aiming for better transport links. It is working with Network Rail, Highways England, HS2 ltd and the Department for Transport as they develop the strategy.
The partnership is working to pinpoint road and rail schemes that can stimulate growth for the region’s economy and help drive forward the Government’s vision of a Midlands Engine for Growth.
