A plan to develop the groundwork on which sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the North of England will be based, is set to be approved by leaders.
With approval being recommended at yesterday’s meeting of the Transport for the North board, the plan will outline the case to transform the transport system in the north, as it is then being used to shape how TfN will advise government on transport priorities, Yesterday’s meeting also delved into the more urgent priorities relating to how transport in the north can run effectively.
Outlined in the new Strategic Transport Plan is how economic growth can be achieved with better connectivity, whilst also supporting decarbonising transport and creating even more opportunities for communities. The driving force behind this is the thinking that, by 2050, Transport for the North believes that the right investment and policy levers could grow the economy by £118 billion.
Some of the features in the new Strategic Transport Plan include:
- Work to drive a reduction in car dependency, whilst creating the necessary capacity to increase usage of the public transport network.
- Identifying the scale of the change that is required in accessibility to ensure that opportunity can be unlocked, as well as social exclusion being reduced by one million by 2050.
- Outlines a pathway for achieving near zero emissions for Northern surface transport by 2045.
- Working to treble the amount of freight that is being carried by rail.
Chair of Transport for the North, Lord McLoughlin, commented:
“Our Strategic Transport Plan sets out Transport for the North’s statutory advice to government on how the North, speaking with one voice, can reach a sustainable, socially inclusive transport network for the future, support growth and employment opportunities.
“The STP will lay the foundations for the transport infrastructure investment for the North for decades to come. We will provide further advice to government on how the plan can be implemented, from the pan-regional investment pipeline required, to efficiencies in how transport infrastructure and services are delivered. The evidence in this STP shows how with sustained investment, the right policy levers and enabling behaviour change, we can truly transform the north.”
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