Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Major cash injection to improve area’s transport
PARTS of the West of England are potentially in line for up to £880 million of Government spending on transport over the next five years.
West of England metro mayor Dan Norris said that a “significant” increase to the region’s transport budget has been pledged by central government.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote to Mr Norris saying the Government would provide £540m to £880m to enable him to improve links across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.
The money is drawn from a pot of £4.2 billion made available to select city regions across the UK to create more efficient and coordinated transport networks.
Mr Norris, who heads up the West of England Combined Authority (Weca), said he was “delighted” the region would be benefiting from additional investment, and that if offered the chance to make “real change”.
He also called on Bristol mayor Marvin Rees and leaders across South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset authorities to work with him to ensure local plans are joined up and cohesive.
Mr Norris said: “This can’t be about pet projects; it’s got to be about what’s best for the region as a whole.
“We’ve got a massive opportunity here and local people will expect us to get on with the job of fixing our broken transport system. Frankly we must. There is a climate emergency and part of meeting our ambitious targets will be enabling more cycling and walking and making switching out of cars the most attractive option.”
In a letter to Mr Norris outlining details of the funds, Mr Shapps said that if the programme proved successful, it could be the “first of several” successive multi-year financial settlements similar to those that helped to build London’s infrastructure.
Mr Shapps wrote: “As all of us – mayors, government and the National Infrastructure Commission – agree, one important weakness of England’s great city regions, affecting their productivity, is the quality of their local transport networks, particularly public transport, compared to London, and other major global cities.
“As the National Infrastructure Assessment has said, investment in this and in active travel must be the way that cities increase their infrastructure capacity to support growth.”
Mr Shapps wrote in the letter that in addition to the money granted under the settlement, metro mayors would be asked to help raise locally an additional sum of at least 15-20% for the capital enhancement element of the project.
The minister said more ambitious contributions would be regarded “favourably” when the government determined the West of England’s final allocation within the funding range ahead of its devolution and levelling up white paper in the autumn.