£15bn Improvements around UK

[Snow1964]

A number of news outlets have been given Heads Up that Chancellor will give go ahead for number of transport capital projects today

Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter.

There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield.

Six more metro mayors will receive transport investments:

• £1.5bn for South Yorkshire to renew the tram network as well as bus services across Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027
• £1.6bn for Liverpool city region with faster connections to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield, and a new bus fleet in St Helens and the Wirral next year
• £1.8bn for the North East to extend the Newcastle to Sunderland tram via Washington
• £800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset
• £1bn for Tees Valley including a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station
• £2bn for the East Midlands to improve road, rail and bus connections between Derby and Nottingham.

The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects.

Billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure in England are set to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday.

The money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in mayoral authorities across the Midlands, the North and the West Country.

The move comes before the government's spending review next week, which will determine how much money each Whitehall department gets over the next three to four years.

Reeves has been under pressure from Labour MPs to spend money following criticism of relentless economic gloom, particularly around disability and benefit cuts, as the chancellor tries to stick to her fiscal rules in difficult circumstances.

Chancellor to announce £15bn for transport projects

Money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in England across the Midlands, North and West Country.

www.bbc.co.uk

EDIT. link to Government announcement

Biggest ever investment in city region local transport as Chancellor vows the 'Renewal of Britain'

Working people in cities and towns from Sunderland to Solihull will benefit from the biggest investment in regional transport, as every part of the country prospers under Plan for Change.

www.gov.uk

EDIT 2 : breakdown of capital and revenue allocations by year

Transport for City Regions funding allocations

www.gov.uk

 

[The exile]

A number of news outlets have been given Heads Up that Chancellor will give go ahead for number of transport capital projects today

Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter.

There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield.

Six more metro mayors will receive transport investments:

• £1.5bn for South Yorkshire to renew the tram network as well as bus services across Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027
• £1.6bn for Liverpool city region with faster connections to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield, and a new bus fleet in St Helens and the Wirral next year
• £1.8bn for the North East to extend the Newcastle to Sunderland tram via Washington
• £800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset
• £1bn for Tees Valley including a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station
• £2bn for the East Midlands to improve road, rail and bus connections between Derby and Nottingham.

The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects.

Chancellor to announce £15bn for transport projects

Money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in England across the Midlands, North and West Country.

www.bbc.co.uk

Will edit this afternoon if any official list of projects is published

It is to be hoped that “providing more trains between Brabazon and the city centre” means more than the 1tph currently planned, rather than simply more than the current zero. Somehow I doubt it. Especially as getting trains to the “city centre” will require a lot of infrastructure.

 

[Dr Day]

The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects.

So money is being committed to the construction of schemes without any business case process? I find that extremely surprising.

 

[jfollows]

Every time we get a new government, we are told that capital spending is “different” and politicians get to announce lots of grand new projects, which in the fullness of time turn to dust and are not delivered. Am I being cynical? Yes. Is the cynicism justified? I think so. HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, electrification plans after Manchester-Liverpool - yes, some of them are limping towards completion now after more than ten years, but Oxford, Bristol, and bi-mode trains are a convenient excuse rather than a solution.

So I don’t believe it to be much more than an excuse to announce “good stuff” in the run-up to significant tax rises which are inevitable, but should have been part of Labour’s manifesto rather than pretending there wouldn’t have been any. A government different from the Conservatives? Not much.

I’m also not sure there is a good business case for Metrolink to Stockport, it’s a political necessity rather than a real one. Of course some people will benefit, but a business case is about stacking up the total benefits in comparison to alternatives.

 

[Snow1964]

So money is being committed to the construction of schemes without any business case process? I find that extremely surprising.

Politics clearly, many of these areas are in the new gained (and easy to lose again) Labour constituencies. A few have probably been added to avoid arguments about other big cities outside London being ignored.

 

[tumbles]

Would hope Portishead gets final sign off today as well..

 

[Dr Day]

Would hope Portishead gets final sign off today as well..

Would imagine that is part of the £800m for West of England.

 

[The exile]

Would imagine that is part of the £800m for West of England.

On the other hand - these “pots” appear to be for Combined Authority (Mayoral) areas. North Somerset (ie almost the entire Portishead line) voted not to be in WECA, so might have to be treated separately.

 

[Palmerston]

Clearly need to get some more details from a full announcement, but it will be interesting to see what's "new" and what is just a repeat of previous announcements. It sounds as though at least some of this is new infrastructure.

 

[SynthD]

So money is being committed to the construction of schemes without any business case process? I find that extremely surprising.

It might not be that extreme, just a loosening of the rules over what is required in a business case. We've seen the rules lead to expensive surveys that report excessively pessimistic benefit cost ratios. This forum has repeatedly called for a change to this process.

 

[Kite159]

And tomorrow will she be announcing tax rises due to the multi-billion black hole?

Optimistic in me hopes the things getting announced today actually get built but how many will disappear into nothingless after spending multiple millions on studies etc?

" a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station"
So finally building platform 3 or extending P1 or P2 to take a 9 coach 800 for the odd occasion LNER runs there carrying fresh air?

 

[hux385]

Whether any of these vague plans ever materialise remains to be seen, but the absence of any discussion for funding HS2 phase 2a is quite apparent. I suppose this is another sign that it has been kicked well and truly into the long grass.

Don't get me wrong, I am fully in favour of the more local schemes that are also being announced - I just hope that SOMETHING will happen somewhere... anything? anywhere? please...??!

 

[brad465]

A number of news outlets have been given Heads Up that Chancellor will give go ahead for number of transport capital projects today

Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter.

There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield.

Seems like a lot of money to extend an existing tram network in the first two cases.

£800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset

Sounds like Bristol metro funding, including getting the Henbury link open.

 

[tumbles]

On the other hand - these “pots” appear to be for Combined Authority (Mayoral) areas. North Somerset (ie almost the entire Portishead line) voted not to be in WECA, so might have to be treated separately.

Metrowest projects include North Somerset and WECA have stumped up extra cash. It is a DfT project now anyway. However there is central funding for the projected required so I would imagine its within that lump sum.

 

[Snow1964]

Whether any of these vague plans ever materialise remains to be seen, but the absence of any discussion for funding HS2 phase 2a is quite apparent. I suppose this is another sign that it has been kicked well and truly into the long grass.

Don't get me wrong, I am fully in favour of the more local schemes that are also being announced - I just hope that SOMETHING will happen somewhere... anything? anywhere? please...??!

I suspect any HS2 extension or further rail electrification will be announced separately (if they happen) Governments like to spread good news to be able to give positive PR on multiple dates.

 

[brad465]

I suspect any HS2 extension or further rail electrification will be announced separately (if they happen) Governments like to spread good news to be able to give positive PR on multiple dates.

That and HS2 is so significant you want that as a separate announcement, as if it wasn't all the other stuff would be overshadowed by the HS2 news.

 

[hux385]

That and HS2 is so significant you want that as a separate announcement, as if it wasn't all the other stuff would be overshadowed by the HS2 news.

I suppose HS2 has a lot of political baggage as well, whereas most people will be in favour of the investment that is being announced today.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I suspect any HS2 extension or further rail electrification will be announced separately (if they happen) Governments like to spread good news to be able to give positive PR on multiple dates.

RR said in her press conference in Rochdale that there will further 'national rail' announcements in the spending review next Weds - including the new L'pool & M'cr line.

 

[Snow1964]

Formal announcement now available listing projects

(rather long so not quoting, just linking)

Biggest ever investment in city region local transport as Chancellor vows the 'Renewal of Britain'

Working people in cities and towns from Sunderland to Solihull will benefit from the biggest investment in regional transport, as every part of the country prospers under Plan for Change.

www.gov.uk

 

[MatthewHutton]

I suppose HS2 has a lot of political baggage as well, whereas most people will be in favour of the investment that is being announced today.

Yes. That is something that will need to be tackled.

The industry needs a new approach with it.

 

[anthony263]

Nothing for Wales yet again!

 

[Thirteen]

Nothing for Wales yet again!

Transport in Wales is devolved so it wouldn't be part of the National Government's investment.

I wonder if London will get the greenlight for long term funding because that's crucial in order to get renewals like the Bakerloo Line and the trams.

 

[MatthewHutton]

Nothing for Wales yet again!

Wales has done the south wales metro which is pretty big.

And there are big running cost subsidies in general.

 

[mangad]

Nothing for Wales yet again!

The press release specifically states its money for "City Regions", which are only in England.

 

[The exile]

The press release specifically states its money for "City Regions", which are only in England.

But will there be Barnett formula implications?

 

[NIT100]

Transport in Wales is devolved so it wouldn't be part of the National Government's investment.

I wonder if London will get the greenlight for long term funding because that's crucial in order to get renewals like the Bakerloo Line and the trams.

Local Transport, Core Valley Lines and Heavy rail passenger operations are devolved in Wales. Heavy rail infrastructure (i.e. Network Rail) is not devolved, hence EWR and HS2 not producing consequentials for Wales, but todays announcement should, and is why it is limited to England.

 

[zwk500]

RR said in her press conference in Rochdale that there will further 'national rail' announcements in the spending review next Weds - including the new L'pool & M'cr line.

Yes, this is when I expect a fair bit more detail will be announced.

 

[al78]

Good to see some investment north of London. People complain about London-centricity from Parliment, now they are investing in the north, people on here are still trying to put a negative spin on it. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

[zwk500]

Good to see some investment north of London. People complain about London-centricity from Parliment, now they are investing in the north, people on here are still trying to put a negative spin on it. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

One particularly good thing for the North is that there's a heavy focus on local mass transit, rather than connectivity of the largest places to London.

 

[mangad]

But will there be Barnett formula implications?

Funnily enough, the press release doesn't go into that level of detail.