Skip to main content

Government sets out blueprint for Northern Powerhouse

The UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) has set out the blueprint for how US$20 billion of government investment in transport will help create the Northern Powerhouse. The investment aims to make transport better by improving the links, bringing cities closer together and strengthening connections. The blueprint shows how transport links across the north are being transformed by government investment. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This one nation government is determined to close the e
August 14, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The UK’s 1837 Department for Transport (DfT) has set out the blueprint for how US$20 billion of government investment in transport will help create the Northern Powerhouse.

The investment aims to make transport better by improving the links, bringing cities closer together and strengthening connections. The blueprint shows how transport links across the north are being transformed by government investment.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This one nation government is determined to close the economic gap between north and south. Investing in transport – something that successive governments have failed to do sufficiently – is vital to making that happen.

“We had a choice - building the infrastructure our country needs, or letting our transport system become a brake on growth and opportunity. We have chosen to invest for the future.

“Across the north, that investment is already having a huge impact, with programmes underway to upgrade our railways and our roads. We are determined to keep the momentum going.”

Commercial secretary at the Treasury Lord O’Neill added: “Investing in first class transport infrastructure is a key part of our commitment to create a Northern Powerhouse. Our investment is helping to better connect the region, building a strong Northern economy, and it is great to see the huge progress already underway.”

The blueprint includes some recently-completed projects, including new electric train services between Manchester, Liverpool and Wigan for the first time. Other improvements include US$7.5 billion investment in the period up to 2020/21 in over 40 major road schemes across Yorkshire, the north east and north west; the opening of the refurbished station at Manchester Victoria this autumn; a new southern entrance to Leeds station, to serve the expanding commercial area south of the River Aire; new franchises that will see modern trains and additional capacity on Trans-Pennine services between Leeds and Manchester and the removal of Pacer trains on Northern routes; work to deliver faster trains and better services between Sheffield and London; in the longer-term, transforming city to city rail connectivity across the region, radically reducing travel times, through HS2 and TransNorth east-west rail links.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Three for Q-Free in the US
    May 1, 2025
    Kinetic Mobility will be used in Denver, Washington DC and Dallas-Fort Worth
  • Government Transport Minister launches UK’s first Train Tam Service
    September 19, 2017
    The first tram on South Yorkshire Train Tram project (SYTTP) has been named Theo after the mascot of a local children’s charity. The first passenger service is scheduled to be completed next year and will run from Sheffield to Rotherham with the pilot project running for two years to measure customer satisfaction, passenger numbers and costs.
  • UK council ‘budget cuts’ halt development of EV charging
    March 18, 2019
    More than 100 UK local authorities say they have no plans to increase their number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. These findings have been revealed from freedom of information (FoI) requests submitted by the Liberal Democrats and shared with The Guardian newspaper. According to the report, Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat former energy and climate change secretary, says the lack of investment in charging points is due to “cuts to council budgets”. “Unless there is urgent action to tackle our out
  • Bogotá sets tentative timeline for metro tender
    February 6, 2015
    Bogotá mayor Gustavo Petro has announced that a tender for the Colombian capital's Line No. 1 metro project, which has been in the planning for a decade, could be issued by July. However, the final timeline for bidding will depend on whether the city is first able to line up financing for the project, the mayor added, according to local press reports. Building the metro line is expected to cost US$7.5 billion, or about double the previous estimates. In its current form, the metro line will extend some