Partner Article

EEF urges action on transport strategy in Yorkshire

Yorkshire and Humber manufacturers are calling for a radical overhaul of the UK’s approach to transport infrastructure, including significantly increased investment in roads, regional airports and port capacity, as well as the setting up of an independent infrastructure commission.

The call is made on the back of a survey published by the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, showing the potential threat from the UK’s stretched infrastructure to business competitiveness and hitting our export target.

The survey comes ahead of the publication of the government’s transport strategy and Spending Review this summer.

In particular, according to EEF, this must include investment in the region’s three airports, Leeds Bradford International, Robin Hood (Doncaster Sheffield) and Humberside and support for the development of the Humber ports and the renewables agenda.

Commenting, Andy Tuscher, region director for the EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation said: “Political prevarication and policy reversals have left Britain in the slow lane in developing its infrastructure for decades.

“The forthcoming transport strategy is an opportunity to address this. Government must reassess its investment priorities, act faster on major issues like airport capacity and take the politics out of infrastructure by setting up an independent commission.

“In particular, the road network is the backbone of the economy but it has been neglected. We are now feeling the ill effects, with the majority of firms reporting that the state of the nation’s roads is significantly increasing their operating costs. Investment should be targeted at shovel-ready maintenance projects and bringing forward upgrades to heavily congested arteries.

“Furthermore world-class air links are critical to export-led growth and attracting inward investment. To keep up with the competition we need investment across the board, including our regional airports. Maintaining our status as a global aviation hub is critical to our international standing and investment in our regional international runway capacity is essential for the growth of the North’s economy.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .