This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42663047
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Transport for the North unveil £70bn travel masterplan | Transport for the North unveil £70bn travel masterplan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A £70bn plan to overhaul transport across the north of England has met with a mixed response. | A £70bn plan to overhaul transport across the north of England has met with a mixed response. |
| Ministers have hailed the 30-year road and railway upgrade scheme as "revolutionary". | Ministers have hailed the 30-year road and railway upgrade scheme as "revolutionary". |
| Transport bosses have also claimed it could help create 850,000 jobs and boost the economy by £100bn. | Transport bosses have also claimed it could help create 850,000 jobs and boost the economy by £100bn. |
| But critics raised questions over funding, with one suggesting commercial space flight would arrive before the promised investment. | But critics raised questions over funding, with one suggesting commercial space flight would arrive before the promised investment. |
| Transport for the North (TfN) unveiled the plans, which include creating a new rail network, called Northern Powerhouse Rail. | Transport for the North (TfN) unveiled the plans, which include creating a new rail network, called Northern Powerhouse Rail. |
| TfN was set up to co-ordinate transport in the North, advise government on transport strategy, and enact the plan unveiled earlier. | |
| Unlike Transport for London, it does not have the ability to generate its own income. | |
| During the event, former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott stormed out, shouting that TfN is "a bloody fraud." | |
| He said: "It was promised to have statutory powers. Now we know, and it's been confirmed by government, it will have no powers. | |
| "It can talk to the treasury along with the strategic bodies but it can't make a decision and it doesn't get any money. It's a bloody fraud." | |
| The BBC has approached TfN for a comment. | |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| What are the plans? | What are the plans? |
| Northern Powerhouse Rail, once described as HS3, is focused on cutting journey times, particularly east to west across the North. | Northern Powerhouse Rail, once described as HS3, is focused on cutting journey times, particularly east to west across the North. |
| TfN says: | TfN says: |
| Proposed developments include: | Proposed developments include: |
| TfN said a new line between Liverpool and Manchester Piccadilly could cut journey times from 50 to 28 minutes, while a new line from Leeds to Manchester, via Bradford, would bring travel time down from 49 to 30 minutes. | TfN said a new line between Liverpool and Manchester Piccadilly could cut journey times from 50 to 28 minutes, while a new line from Leeds to Manchester, via Bradford, would bring travel time down from 49 to 30 minutes. |
| On the roads, key areas for improvement include links between Sheffield and Manchester, via a trans-Pennine Tunnel beneath the A628 Woodhead Pass, and the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith. | On the roads, key areas for improvement include links between Sheffield and Manchester, via a trans-Pennine Tunnel beneath the A628 Woodhead Pass, and the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith. |
| The report has identified seven "corridors" where investment should be focused. | The report has identified seven "corridors" where investment should be focused. |
| A public consultation on the plan will run until 17 April and a final version is due to be submitted for ministerial consideration later this year. | A public consultation on the plan will run until 17 April and a final version is due to be submitted for ministerial consideration later this year. |
| What's the official line? | What's the official line? |
| TfN chairman John Cridland said: "Transport for the North's vision is of a thriving north of england, where modern transport connections drive economic growth and support an excellent quality of life. | TfN chairman John Cridland said: "Transport for the North's vision is of a thriving north of england, where modern transport connections drive economic growth and support an excellent quality of life. |
| "This is an ambitious programme that will improve our roads and railways, and will also drive a sea change in skills development in the north and ensure we meet that historic gap in investment." | "This is an ambitious programme that will improve our roads and railways, and will also drive a sea change in skills development in the north and ensure we meet that historic gap in investment." |
| Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the government was committed to transforming transport in the North and had already committed £13bn. | Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the government was committed to transforming transport in the North and had already committed £13bn. |
| On the report, he said: "This is an important step in the North speaking with one voice to set out its vision for transport in the region over the next 30 years." | On the report, he said: "This is an important step in the North speaking with one voice to set out its vision for transport in the region over the next 30 years." |
| Analysis by Victoria Fritz, BBC Business Correspondent | Analysis by Victoria Fritz, BBC Business Correspondent |
| A powerhouse is no more than a cold engine without a vision of how to fuel it. | A powerhouse is no more than a cold engine without a vision of how to fuel it. |
| Four years after that phrase, "Northern Powerhouse" entered political lexicon, we have a plan. | Four years after that phrase, "Northern Powerhouse" entered political lexicon, we have a plan. |
| The theory is straightforward; create enough heat in the form of government spending and the whole area will bask in the warm glow of private sector investment. | The theory is straightforward; create enough heat in the form of government spending and the whole area will bask in the warm glow of private sector investment. |
| Delivering on that plan is less easy. | Delivering on that plan is less easy. |
| The problem is twofold; transport has historically been built from south to north and no one northern city has dominated the region in the way London has the South East. | The problem is twofold; transport has historically been built from south to north and no one northern city has dominated the region in the way London has the South East. |
| Despite the efforts of successive governments, London has become a black hole, sucking in people and investment while rivalries between northern cities run generations deep. | Despite the efforts of successive governments, London has become a black hole, sucking in people and investment while rivalries between northern cities run generations deep. |
| Creating the first sub-national transport body in England in April 2018 is a step towards overcoming this. | Creating the first sub-national transport body in England in April 2018 is a step towards overcoming this. |
| The question is whether the engine returns on this investment before the runaway train of the South East decouples entirely. | The question is whether the engine returns on this investment before the runaway train of the South East decouples entirely. |
| How will it be paid for? | How will it be paid for? |
| The biggest concern from critics in response to the announcement has been over the funding of the project. | The biggest concern from critics in response to the announcement has been over the funding of the project. |
| TfN said it hoped a "substantial element" of funding would come from the government, with other possible sources including revenue from car tax, officially known as vehicle excise duty. | TfN said it hoped a "substantial element" of funding would come from the government, with other possible sources including revenue from car tax, officially known as vehicle excise duty. |
| Jonathan Bray, director of the Urban Transport Group, said there was still a long way to go in terms of planning and identifying funding. | Jonathan Bray, director of the Urban Transport Group, said there was still a long way to go in terms of planning and identifying funding. |
| But he said having TfN to "tackle the big challenges" surrounding transport in the North would "hopefully build a consensus around which Whitehall will feel obliged to act". | But he said having TfN to "tackle the big challenges" surrounding transport in the North would "hopefully build a consensus around which Whitehall will feel obliged to act". |
| Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said he would be pushing government "to ensure this vision is backed up by proper financial commitments". | Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said he would be pushing government "to ensure this vision is backed up by proper financial commitments". |
| David Sidebottom, from independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Transport can deliver all kinds of economic and social benefits - but it has to work for the people using it." | David Sidebottom, from independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Transport can deliver all kinds of economic and social benefits - but it has to work for the people using it." |
| Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association said: "Any announcement about plans to invest in transport infrastructure is good news, but as always, the devil is in the detail. | Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association said: "Any announcement about plans to invest in transport infrastructure is good news, but as always, the devil is in the detail. |
| "Will the proposed funding model go far enough to stimulate the growth needed to bridge this historical gap?" | "Will the proposed funding model go far enough to stimulate the growth needed to bridge this historical gap?" |
| Hull North Labour MP Diana Johnson, who has previously described transport in the North as "woeful", said she did not share in the optimism. | Hull North Labour MP Diana Johnson, who has previously described transport in the North as "woeful", said she did not share in the optimism. |
| She said: "Huge London schemes such as Crossrail 2 are already on the drawing board and are far more likely to get going within the next few years. | She said: "Huge London schemes such as Crossrail 2 are already on the drawing board and are far more likely to get going within the next few years. |
| "I believe that for decades ahead, unless there is a fundamental change in government thinking, we will not see the North getting the much-needed fairer share of transport investment that would be in the interests of the whole UK economy. | "I believe that for decades ahead, unless there is a fundamental change in government thinking, we will not see the North getting the much-needed fairer share of transport investment that would be in the interests of the whole UK economy. |
| "Indeed, with legislation currently going through Parliament, it looks like we will see commercial space flight established years before we see real improvements to the North's transport infrastructure." | "Indeed, with legislation currently going through Parliament, it looks like we will see commercial space flight established years before we see real improvements to the North's transport infrastructure." |