Political and business representatives from Transport for the North (TfN) have met with Lord Adonis, the Chair of the new National Infrastructure Commission, this week as part of his two-day fact-finding visit to the north of England.
This marks the first step for TfN in its development of a strong case to the commission for pan-northern, transformational investment in transport infrastructure. Lord Adonis was accompanied by TfN’s new Chief Executive David Brown throughout the visit, which included sessions with representatives from Hull and the Humber, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle.
The meetings saw discussion of a wide range of topics related to connecting cities and towns in the North – the challenges, the benefits and opportunities to drive economic growth, and the supporting evidence that underpins TfN’s Northern Transport Strategy.
TfN Chief Executive, David Brown, said: “We welcome the support of the National Infrastructure Commission and Government as we continue to drive forward our ambitious agenda for transforming the northern economy by connecting our cities and towns.
“The fact that northern connectivity is recognised as a focus area for the commission further underpins the fundamental need for long-term investment and we’ll continue to engage with Lord Adonis as we work towards the publication of our updated Northern Transport Strategy next year.”
During the visit a Call for Evidence was launched by the commission, inviting all interested parties to make submissions on its initial three areas of focus. Lord Adonis said: “To make the North a powerhouse once again we need a new era of infrastructure investment. The National Infrastructure Commission will look broadly at long-term needs and provide impartial advice to Government and Parliament.
“I am delighted that the Call for Evidence is being launched in the north of England. We have seen great steps forward in the North’s infrastructure, including Airport City in Manchester and the new deep water port in Liverpool. This Call for Evidence will support the Commission to make the infrastructure of the North greater still.”
TfN is a unique partnership between Northern local transport authorities, Government and the National Transport agencies. It was created in 2014 to allow the North to identify how best to drive economic growth through strategic investment in transport and allows the North to speak with one voice on the big decisions which benefit the region as a whole. The process to appoint an independent Chair before the end of 2015 is underway. Plans are also in place to develop TfN into a statutory body by 2017, supported by the government’s recent commitment to put regional transport bodies – like Transport for the North – on a statutory footing with the publication of proposals in Parliament.
The newly formed National Infrastructure Commission is charged with offering unbiased analysis of the UK’s long-term infrastructure needs. Lord Adonis’ team is working closely with TfN and its partner Northern authorities to establish the evidence base and identify the options for future investment in strategic transport infrastructure, with a view to improving connectivity between cities, particularly east-west across the Pennines.
For further information on TfN, please see www.transportforthenorth.com.