Infrastructure investment in the North to be higher than London and the South of England

The North of England is set to be boosted by investment into their road and rail networks – as the Government announce higher spending on upgrades in the north compared to London and the South. The announcement by The Department for Transport shows that investment between 2018 and 2021 will be more than £30 more per head than London and the South.

More than £1bn is set to be spent on improving rail infrastructure in the North – with additional investment through the Northern and Transpennine Express franchises set to deliver space for 40,000 more passengers along with more than 2,000 additional services every single week – whilst improving the customer journey and service through new and refurbished trains. The Transpennine rail route will also connect Manchester, Leeds and York better – with £3bn set to be injected into the route, whilst smart ticketing is also set to be introduced.

In addition to the investment already mentioned the government is set to commit further to Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) with Transport for the North receiving a further £60m to develop proposals for the scheme, alongside £300m to ensure HS2 can accommodate future NPR services. The opportunities in which rail infrastructure can unlock in terms of the wider economic picture will be a key focus of our HS2 Economic Growth Conference where we’ll hear from over 70 speakers including Transport for the North, Northern Powerhouse Partnership and more. Transport for the North will also speak at the West Yorkshire Economic Growth Conference in September.

Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg said: ”We’re investing more than £13bn to improve connections across the north between 2015 and 2020, getting people to their work, family and friends, quicker and easier than before. This investment demonstrates the government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse, which will help unlock economic growth and much-needed housing across the region. The new Heathrow runway will also bring further benefits to the north, better connecting the region’s airports with the UK’s hub airport and opening up new trade opportunities which could deliver a further boost to the northern economy.”

As mentioned by Baroness Sugg Heathrow could also play a vital role in the economic growth of the North – from Liverpool and Manchester, to Sheffield, Leeds, York and many more. If the expansion goes ahead Chris Grayling has confirmed that 15% of the new capacity would be reserved for domestic flights – enabling better connectivity for those within the UK.

In terms of roads there has already been a fantastic infrastructure project ongoing – the motorway-standard A1 and M1 road between Newcastle and London officially opening last month. Quicker connections create more and new opportunities – whilst increasing productivity. The M62 between Leeds and Manchester is also expected to receive an upgrade in 2019-2020 – ensuring quicker, safer and more reliable journeys between two of the Northern Powerhouse cities.

There will also be a focus from Highways England to start the construction of an addition 22 schemes in the North over the next 3 years! One of those is a major upgrade to the M6 near Manchester, and they’ll be crucial in ensuring we as an industry can maximise the regeneration, development and economic development opportunities across the region. They’ll be joining the infrastructure session at the Greater Manchester Economic Growth Conference.