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A plethora of funding for transport infrastructure developments in various regions of England is set to be unveiled by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday. The investment will be allocated towards tram, train, and bus projects in mayoral authorities across the Midlands, the North, and the West Country. This move precedes the government’s upcoming spending review, which will determine the budget allocation for each Whitehall department for the next three to four years. Reeves has faced pressure from Labour MPs to boost spending amidst ongoing economic challenges, particularly concerning disability and benefit cuts, while adhering to fiscal rules in challenging circumstances.
Trams are at the forefront of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester receiving £2.5bn for extending its network to Stockport and adding stops in Bury, Manchester, and Oldham. Additionally, the West Midlands will benefit from £2.4bn to expand services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. The funding also includes £2.1bn earmarked for initiating the West Yorkshire Mass Transit program by 2028 and constructing new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Several other metro mayors are also slated to receive transportation investments, such as £1.5bn for South Yorkshire, £1.6bn for Liverpool city region, £1.8bn for the North East, £800m for the West of England, £1bn for Tees Valley, and £2bn for the East Midlands.
Reeves’ announcement of the transport investments signifies a departure from the stringent rules outlined in the Treasury’s Green Book, traditionally used to assess the value for money of major projects. Criticisms of the Green Book’s bias towards London and the south-east have been raised, prompting a policy change that aims to distribute funding more equitably across regions. By adjusting these rules, areas in the North and Midlands, including the “Red Wall” constituencies, are expected to receive increased financial support, addressing disparities in economic growth and development.
The £15.6bn regional transport package presented by Reeves is part of a five-year funding initiative spanning from 2027/28 to 2031/32. This allocation, confirmed by a Treasury spokesperson, will effectively double the current spending limit of £1.14bn for 2024-25 to £2.9bn by 2029-30. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander lauded the announcement as a significant step towards enhancing transport connectivity in the North and Midlands, bolstering access to employment opportunities, economic growth, and overall quality of life. However, Liberal Democrat treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper emphasized the importance of fulfilling these commitments to communities, cautioning against repeated promises without tangible outcomes. Cooper stressed the need for public transport investments to prioritize fare reductions, especially for families grappling with a cost of living crisis
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