Transport for the North has warned a "sense of managed decline feels inevitable" without government investment.
Transport for the North (TfN) has called on the government for investment expressing fears local and regional networks will be left behind without improvement. TfN hopes transport investment will be the catalyst to transform the north's economy and lay foundations for future growth.
The TfN board has written to Liz Truss, the new prime minister, setting out the urgent and immediate priorities for the north. The letter makes the case for more well rounded investment in the north, with the need for the completion of major projects such as Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2, but also for improvements to be made to existing local networks.
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Lord Patrick McLoughlin, chair of Transport for the North, warned "millions of people across the north rely entirely on public transport and are at real risk of further disadvantage". He added: "Without further support, a further decline in confidence and sense of managed decline feels inevitable and cannot be allowed to occur."
In the letter to Ms Truss, Lord McLoughlin outlined a number of essential actions to protect households and businesses this winter. These include government confirmation that rail fares will remain consistent and not rise in line with inflation, and capping bus fares at £2. Bus fares in Liverpool will be capped at £2 from September 18.
Other measures include providing additional financial support for train operating companies and an extension to recovery funding to support bus services for a further six months. Due to a "critical" shortage of train drivers, TfN has advocated for a driver training academy following a proposal by Northern Trains Limited.
In a letter to the new prime minister, Lord McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North said: “Millions of people across the north rely entirely on public transport and are at real risk of further disadvantage. In recent months, the north has led the recovery of rail patronage and accepted tough compromises to service patterns to keep our transport networks operational.
"Without further support, a further decline in confidence and sense of managed decline feels inevitable and cannot be allowed to occur. We welcomed your strong commitment to seeing Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) constructed in full, as you set out in Leeds.
"We have developed clear and agreed plans for the network, costed at £43bn, including our preferences for a mix of new lines and major upgrades as a network spanning from Liverpool in the west to Hull in the east, and from Newcastle in the north to Sheffield in the south.
“Confirmation in the September budget will send a clear signal to the north about the government’s intentions to reverse decisions taken in the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), including the Eastern Leg of HS2. The Transport Select Committee concluded that the proposals published in the IRP fail to achieve the long-term step change for the rail network across the north.”
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