Thirty-year transport plan for the North launched

Plans for future transport investment in the North of England have been outlined today at an event marking the publication of a thirty year plan to drive economic growth.

Transport for the North’s Strategic Transport Plan is the first of its kind and outlines how connections across the North need to be improved to drive growth and close the economic gap between the North and the rest of England. The public are now being asked to share their thoughts on the proposals through a thirteen-week consultation.

Aimed at rebalancing the UK’s economy through a sustained 30-year programme of transport infrastructure investment, the plan could deliver a £100bn boost to the economy and 850,000 additional jobs by 2050.

The ‘Central Pennines’ corridor aims to improve east-west connectivity for North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Riding and Hull and Humber through to Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Liverpool City Region. Whilst a full list of the improvements which will be needed has not yet been published, emerging priorities for this corridor include the transformation of Leeds station to allow for new HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail services, the provision of a rail-route across the central Pennines which would be prioritised for freight and major improvements to the M65/A59 road corridor. These are in addition to the baseline investment assumptions set out within the plan.

Transport for the North is working to make it easier for people and goods to travel across the region, increasing access to jobs, supporting businesses and improving the movement of freight and goods across the North and to its ports and airports. Seven ‘corridors’ of opportunity are identified in the plan that are key to achieving these aims.

Alongside the corridors, Transport for the North has for the first time outlined its emerging vision for Northern Powerhouse Rail; a rail network between the North’s six biggest cities and other economic centres.

Northern Powerhouse Rail, which would see a new railway line linking Leeds with Manchester via Bradford as well as much faster connections between Leeds and Sheffield, Newcastle and Hull, would mean that an additional 46% of the population, over 1.4m residents, would be able to access three major cities within 90 minutes from home.

An additional 344,305 businesses will be able to connect with Leeds within 90 minutes and it is estimated that the impact of agglomeration between Leeds and Manchester alone would deliver an additional £60m a year into the economy.

The plan is accompanied by an updated Rail Strategy for investment in the North’s existing lines, stations, services and franchise operations, reflecting the planned integration of Rail North into Transport for the North in April this year.

In the short-term, Transport for the North has commenced a rolling programme from now until 2021 to introduce integrated and smart ticketing across the North of England. This will make paying for and planning travel much easier, starting in major cities and across the busiest routes.

Cllr Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, who represents Leeds City Region on the Transport for the North Partnership Board, and aql chief executive Professor Adam Beaumont, who is also a representative of Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership launched the plan at the aql Data Centre.

Blake said: “This new 30-year plan represents an ambitious but deliverable vision for a transformational improvement to our transport network and connectivity both across the north and also with the rest of the country. It is a vitally-needed level of investment to not only help realise the economic potential of the north but would also boost and be part of the process of rebalancing the national economy too.”

John Cridland, Transport for the North chairman, said: “The North is a rich, diverse region and home to around 16 million people. We have vibrant communities, buzzing cities, five stunning national parks, an abundance of talent and a wealth of high-performing businesses. Transport for the North’s vision is of a thriving North of England, where modern transport connections drive economic growth and support an excellent quality of life.

“For the first time, civic and business leaders and transport operators are speaking with one voice on transport to make sure the North fulfils its potential. Our plan proposes a revolutionary investment programme that will make it possible to travel to high quality jobs.”

The investment priorities are backed up by research that links the North’s prime capabilities in advanced manufacturing, digital, energy and health innovation. The cost of the 30-year plan is estimated to equate to less than £150 per northern citizen per year, or £2-2.3 billion per year.

This figure also includes spending which would already be expected as part of ongoing strategic transport investment in the North, with only £50 per person per year (£700-900m per year) additional spending. Regional spend figures issued by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority for the four years from 2017 calculated that projected Government spend on strategic transport will be £1,039 per head for the three Northern regions (North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber).

Geralnd Jennings, of West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said it was important for both NPR and HS2 to both go ahead, as the combined effect of them both linking east to west and north to south would be a catalyst for growth and investment in the economy. He added: “Not going ahead with both would be like having the M62 without the M1.”

James Hall, partner at planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore said: “It is a huge undertaking to reverse years of under investment in Yorkshire transport links. It’s now critical that Transport for the North’s proposals are advanced quickly, with appropriate funding.

“The plans are exactly what our towns and cities in Yorkshire and the Humber need to grow sustainably – but no time can be wasted in bringing them to fruition.

“Rail junctions in the Leeds area to allow HS2 trains from Manchester, Sheffield and The Midlands to travel via Leeds and on to the North East are particularly welcome. This move would better connect economic centres in the north and open up new markets for our businesses.

“The revised trans-Pennine road tunnel plan could have the same effect. Overall improved east-west transport links would be good news for Yorkshire – bolstering our position as the place to do business in the north.”

Martin McKervey is a Sheffield City Region LEP Board lead member for Transport,  and a member of Transport for the North Partnership Board. He said: “Our own draft Transport Strategy reflects this. It aims to grow the city region’s economy by £500million by increasing the numbers of people able to get to key employment sites and education by public transport in 30 minutes. It also aims to increase rail commuting between the SCR and both Greater Manchester and Leeds City Regions by several thousand journeys daily, and ensuring 90 per cent of the region’s population can reach a long-haul airport by public transport within 90 minutes.

“In this region, improved connectivity to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with funding from the City Region, has already shown positive results. We back the move to improve road connections, and ourselves are funding significant improvements such as the £55million project at Junction 36 of the M1.

“And we wholeheartedly back Transport for the North as it outlines its emerging vision for Northern Powerhouse Rail, a rapid, reliable and resilient rail network between the North’s six biggest cities and other economic centres.

“Sheffield City Region and Transport for the North recognise that a long-term solution to the poor transport links across the southern Pennines between South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester is vital for economic growth in the North of England. We are in urgent need of better east-west road and rail connections for both passengers and freight, with reduced journey times and greater capacity.”

Steve Gillingham, director for the North at Mace, said: “Today marks a landmark moment for the North – the first time the region has had a comprehensive and transformational vision to transform its economy through enhanced transport connectivity.

“This is an ambitious plan but one that is wholly achievable.  It is encouraging to see plans for TfN’s flagship project, Northern Powerhouse Rail, set out in more detail.  This project is more important to the North of England than one of our cities winning the Commonwealth Games or Olympics.  The potential to ensure over 1.3 million people are within 60 minutes of four or more major Northern cities, compared to fewer than 10,000 people today would be truly transformational.

“TfN’s plan reaches all corners of the Northern Powerhouse through the seven strategic corridors, spanning all modes of transport and covering opportunities to bridge the economic gap between North and South.”

Jessica Bowles, director of strategy at Bruntwood, added: “The ambitious vision of 30 minute journey times between Liverpool and Manchester, Manchester and Leeds and 26 minutes between Leeds and Sheffield – would be an incredible driver of growth and would help the North deliver the skills, jobs and growth set out in the Industrial Strategy. These city-to-city connections, delivered as part of a modern, efficient Northern transport network, would be truly transformative.

“Bruntwood is hugely supportive of TfN’s ambition and vision to deliver a transport system by 2050 that will be the backbone for a strong economy for the North and the wider UK. As the report states ‘the size of the prize is simply too large to ignore for the future prosperity of the UK.”

Beckie Hart, CBI Yorkshire & Humber director, said: “The publication of Transport for the North’s (TfN) Strategic Transport Plan is a significant milestone in delivering the infrastructure that is needed to boost productivity in Yorkshire and the Humber and across the whole of the north of England.

“Through TfN’s seven proposed strategic development corridors, Yorkshire and the Humber should see a number of improvements that businesses have long been calling for, including improved access to the region’s ports and airports, enhancements to road connections north and south, and links from Leeds, Sheffield and Hull to the other key cities of the north through Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

The public consultation on the Strategic Transport Plan will run until 17 April 2018 with engagement events taking place across the North, including in Blackburn on 1 March, Leeds on 5 March, Wakefield on 21 March and Bradford on 10 April. A final version of the plan will be published later in the year and submitted to the Government for ministerial consideration.