Use Autumn Statement to revolutionise Northern transport, say firms

A coalition of businesses from across the North is asking the Government to use next week’s Autumn Statement to make a revolutionary funding commitment and devolve Northern transport powers.

The group said spending commitments per head in the North should exceed those of London in the next decade, which it believes would allow Transport for the North to grow the region as an economic powerhouse following years of underfunding.

At present, Government spending on transport in London and the South East is six times greater per head than in the North, despite the Northern population (at 15.1m) being nearly twice that of London (8.7m).

The transport funding gap, according to analysis from thinktank IPPR North, is equivalent to £1,600 per person.

The call to the Government comes from professional services firms Addleshaw Goddard, Grant Thornton and Atkins, which put together a report called Unlocking Growth in the North.

The report was created from data collected through a series of events, held over the last year, that involved more than 100 organisations and discussed boosting growth in the North.

Backed by a number of the region’s leading businesses, the report calls for the full and swift devolution of powers, along with the necessary funding commitments, to allow transport commissioners to make the decisions that matter for the North’s infrastructure.

Improvements would include enhanced Northern roads, railways and ticketing systems, in addition to better East-West links and freight connections.

Addleshaw Goddard partner Paul Hirst said: “The North’s performance has been severely hampered by a major shortfall in investment.

“It is clear that that underinvestment has damaged growth in the UK economy and it is time this damage is undone and that spending in the North is greater, for a period, to unleash the north’s economic potential.”

He continued: “Like the many organisations involved in producing this report, the Northern Powerhouse recognises this region’s vast potential. For too long, a lack of powers and chronic underfunding in transport have held the North back. In post-Brexit Britain this needs to change.

“That’s why we’re calling on the Government to use this Autumn Statement to revolutionise Northern transport by swiftly devolving statutory powers and injecting the necessary funding to unlock growth in the North.”

Atkins’ Northern Powerhouse director, Philip Dyer, commented: “In a recent speech, the Chancellor said that now is a good time to invest in genuinely productivity-enhancing infrastructure.

“We agree, and the Autumn Statement is the perfect opportunity to put the words into action. It was clear from the round tables that there is a huge appetite from the business community to drive the growth agenda, but the North’s infrastructure, particularly transport, desperately needs attention to enable this to happen.”

Daniel Mansfield, principal consultant at Grant Thornton, said: “With these key recommendations to better connect the North, we hope to accelerate the delivery of the Northern Powerhouse.

“Throughout our series of roundtable events focussing on unlocking growth across the North, 100 organisations unequivocally demanded bold improvements to the region’s transport infrastructure.”

He added: “We hope Government will listen to the voice of Northern businesses and match our ambition for our region.”

Among the large Northern businesses backing the report are tech giant Siemens UK, power station operator DRAX Power and infrastructure support service provider Amey.