Response: Prime Minister recognises importance of Transport for the North

Thursday 2nd May 2019

During this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions (01/05/2019), Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, asked Theresa May to confirm her commitment to Transport for the North and our Strategic Transport Plan.

In response, the Prime Minister agreed that Transport for the North are important and that through us the North is able to speak with one voice on it’s vision for transport over the next 30 years. She also noted and welcomed the significant progress we’ve made on finalising the Strategic Transport Plan and committed to reversing decades of underinvestment.

Following her statement, Barry White welcomed the Prime Minister’s comments, saying: “Leaders across the North are clear on our vision for the future, we need to invest in a pipeline of projects that together bring the North’s communities closer.

“Our plan outlines the prize on offer for the North and a credible way of how to get there – by investing in projects like Northern Powerhouse Rail, HS2 and our major roads and better connecting our people and businesses. In real terms, that’s a working parent living in Leeds but commuting regularly to Newcastle. Or a business in Rawtenstall supplying parts to a manufacturer in Sheffield.

“The Prime Minister’s recognition of Transport for the North’s work is an important step. We’ll be working with Government as they identify their spending priorities for the coming years. Put simply, strong commitment to northern infrastructure needs to be among those priorities. Not just for the sake of the North, but for the rebalancing of the entire UK economy.”