Transport for the North (TfN) chair Lord Patrick McLoughlin has published [25 March] TfN’s Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the North.
The blueprint builds on the first plan published five years ago, sets out the case to transform the North’s transport infrastructure and services and outlines how the Northern economy could increase by £118bn by 2050.
The plan sets out how connectivity can enable economic growth, decarbonise transport systems and facilitate job creation.
The first STP enabled a step change in government funding for rail, by setting out the case for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
READ MORE: ‘Unprecedented’ transport budget for UK’s smaller cities in the North and Midlands announced
The new STP was approved at Transport for the North Board meeting in Leeds by Northern leaders.
The new STP:
- Sets out the North’s ambition for near zero emissions from surface transport in the region by 2045
- Supports efforts to reduce car dependency and create the capacity required to grow patronage on our public transport networks
- Recognises the scale of change required in accessibility needed to unlock opportunity and reduce social exclusion by one million people by 2050
- Puts in place a long-term ambition to treble the share of freight carried by rail
Chair of transport for the North Lord McLoughlin said: “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.”
Achievements and innovations in transport planning will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
