Responding to northern papers coming together to call on the main political parties to outline their plans to narrow the North-South divide, Barry White, Chief Executive of Transport for the North, said:
“This powerful call cements the strength of feeling from the North’s communities – that our time is now. After decades of underinvestment, it’s clear investment in infrastructure is fundamental to closing the productivity gap and rebalancing the UK economy.
“When it comes to transport, the North is ready to go. We have a coherent plan, backed by the North’s political leaders and businesses, of where investment should be channelled. That includes totemic decisions like investing up to £39 billion in Northern Powerhouse Rail – which should absolutely be seen as an opportunity and priority for the UK, not just the North.
“Now we need commitments of both capital and development funding to get shovels in the ground on a range of road and rail projects as soon as possible. That, alongside a strengthened role for the North’s decision-makers, could see the well-documented inequalities begin to close.”