Chancellor welcomes the work of the big 5 Northern Cities:
I have long said that there is no doubt that when the cities of the North work together real change can happen. We have seen this with the LA7, the proposals of the Adonis Report, and now this report.
The report can be found here:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/5969/one_north
It is genuinely great news that the five cities in the north of England have come together with one aim, to improve their economic prosperity by working together. Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Leeds have responded to a challenge set them by the Chancellor, and Sir David Higgins, the head of HS2, to begin competing more effectively with London.
There is no doubt that the Cities of northern England are powerful individually but better as one force.
This report and the progress made will ensure we are competitive and prosper in the global economy, and this investment in infrastructure will improve the links between all the major northern cities. The government have listened and built on the success of City Deals and devolved funding. The Local Authorities are now working together ever more closely and this can only be a good thing.
Among the many major successes proposed are a new rail line using faster trains between Newcastle and the Darlington area designed to save 10 minutes journey time, plus speeding up and making more reliable services to London from Newcastle on the East Coast mainline before HS2 is completed; this coupled to the measures to enhance and grow our regions roads and airport are good things.
The Journal report is here: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/15bn-plan-revolutionise-transport-newcastle-7561727
