Northern Transport investment set to be axed, AGAIN!
Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon has hit out at the Labour Government for yet again axing investment in that would benefit northern commuters. At the same time, Labour are spending huge sums on infrastructure projects in the South.
Billions of pounds of investment in Northern transport infrastructure were promised by the previous Government to make up for their decision to axe the Northern legs of HS2. In Parliament, Tom asked the Government when the North could expect to see this cash.
In response to Tom’s question, Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said that the money would not be coming. She labelled the proposed investment in northern transport as “fantasy money”.
Transport in Yorkshire and the Humber has long been underfunded by the Government, in the previous decade London received 7 times the amount of transport infrastructure per person than our area.*
The Transport Secretary’s comments comes hot on the heels of the infrastructure announcement by Rachel Reeves, which gave little to the North, primarily focussing on reviving schemes that should have long since been implemented, whilst prioritising the South of England. This follows years of underinvestment by the Tories, who promised much but delivered little for the North.
Commenting, Tom said:
“I was stunned by the Transport Secretary’s answer. It seems like local taxpayers continue to fund infrastructure projects in the South, while getting very little in return. The Tories let down the North again and again, and now Labour are just playing to the same tune.
“Local people expected that when HS2 was cancelled, the promises made to improve Northern Transport infrastructure would be delivered. Yet again the North has been neglected and this is just not good enough.
“Whether it’s Labour or Tory, we hear big promises before elections and yet time and time again and we are let down. The Government says it wants to see growth in the North but won’t deliver the cash need to kickstart our economy.
“Labour need to think again on this and deliver on the promises made to the people of the North. We shouldn’t be forced to put up with Victorian era infrastructure in the 21st century!”
ENDS