The UK government has backed transport improvements across the northern of England with £400 million of extra funding.
More than £100 million will go towards local road schemes to bust congestion pinch-points and speed up journeys, while an extra £300 million will help push forward plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail to bolster links between Northern towns and cities with more frequent and faster services.
This local road funding, from the £23 billion National Productivity and Investment Fund, will go towards 13 priority schemes in the north-west, ten in Yorkshire and the Humber and ten across the north-east.
These have been proposed by local leaders who know their areas best and illustrated how this investment will be of the greatest benefit to local people to improve journeys and help support jobs.
The extra £300 million will go towards ensuring HS2 infrastructure can accommodate future Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Connect services.
Future-proofing will make it easier and less disruptive to build Northern Powerhouse Rail in the future.
This will enable faster services between the Northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and York, as well as on towards the East Midlands and London.
It will also enable services between Liverpool and Leeds to pass via Manchester Piccadilly station.
The GTMC welcomed the chancellor’s announcement of investment in HS2 rail.
Adrian Parkes, chief executive, GTMC commented: “Today’s announcement by the chancellor is welcome news for not only travel management companies and the business travel community but the wider UK economy.
“We have long campaigned for improved investment and infrastructure that extends beyond London and the south-east and opens up opportunities for growth across the UK.
“The future development of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse rail is fundamental to this.
“It is the responsibility of government to support the economy and provide businesses with the infrastructure they need to travel, build trade deals and grow.
“Without that, the future growth of the economy runs the risk of being stifled.”