What a Northern Powerhouse in Yorkshire means to: Cars on Demand’s Paul Brown

In Bdaily’s latest series, Nick Hill is giving the business people of Yorkshire the opportunity to voice their opinions on the the government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative within the region.

It has been close to two years since George Osborne first announced the government’s aim of creating a ‘Northern Powerhouse’, and yet it can be argued that there is still very little understanding of what this actually is.

With this new series, Bdaily hopes to grasp a clear concept of a Northern Powerhouse by talking with Yorkshire business leaders and uncovering how close has the region come to reaching independent economic prosperity.

First up is Paul Brown, managing director of specialist short term vehicle leasing company Cars on Demand based in Wakefield.

Hi Paul, what do you think the Northern Powerhouse will do for Yorkshire?

As well as the awareness that is being raised about the opportunities in the North from the publicity, if the plans made can be delivered quickly, cost effectively and as envisaged then there are huge opportunities for increased inward investment to the area.

What will the Northern Powerhouse do for your company, Cars on Demand?

Due to the nature of our business, when there are increases in inward investment and growing new job opportunities, alongside an increase in business travel within the area, the requirement for flexible and short term access to vehicles that is our business model will undoubtedly continue to increase. In addition, if the transport network is improved as planned, we will benefit in reduced costs for vehicle movements due to decreases in congestion alongside more reliable journey planning.

Has the government done enough to convince you of its commitment to Osborne’s vision?

At the moment, no. As with many large infrastructure projects, they seem to get mired in bureaucracy and a lack of clear communication about what the exact plan is with measurable milestones that can be clearly communicated. Unless people can see a clear plan, see how the implementation is being achieved, and measure the success of it, interest is lost and as seems to have been the case of late, with suspicions that a lot of spin was put out with little action being the reality.

Connectivity has been a major driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse. Do you believe that spending billions of infrastructure will improve the economic climate in the North?

Most definitely. In order for any region to develop, the infrastructure linking people and businesses with the main forms of transport covering– Land, Sea and Air – are vital. The infrastructure needs to be accessible, reliable and cost effective, and therefore as mentioned, the planning and implementation of the investments is vital to ensure these objectives are met.

What, if any, other sectors/industries should the government key in on to achieve a Northern Powerhouse?

The great thing about the North is the diversity – from Manufacturing to creative arts, media and finance, there really is a great mix of skills and abilities across the North. If all of these can be harnessed and linked together cohesively, the North could continue to be one of the greatest places in the world to both make and export goods and services, as well as visit and do business in.

Are there any other areas which you believe money should be spent on, ahead of transport?

One area that we should lead on is education, both in terms of schools and universities / colleges, but also apprenticeships and in-work training. With a well-educated, skilled and motivated population available, business will be attracted to it and entrepreneurs will also thrive in it.

As with the Sheffield, should the other regions in Yorkshire try to strike a devolution deal with the government?

Yes – any opportunity to allow local groups to work effectively and map out the future they believe is better for their region has to be a benefit. It is vital though that the devolved regions work together cohesively to benefit each other as well as themselves – the two objectives are completely interconnected.

Will the Northern Powerhouse be realised in Yorkshire?

I believe it will if business people in the region keep the pressure on the Government and our representatives to deliver.

Thank you Paul.

Don’t miss our latest Northern Powerhouse coverage here. To nominate a Yorkshire business leader to be part of our new series, contact Nick at nick.hill@bdaily.co.uk.