Comment on the Northern Transport Strategy update from Transport for the North (TfN)

Richard Threlfall, Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Northern Powerhouse Panel, said: “The vision for the North as an economic powerhouse is gaining momentum and TfN has helpfully now set out a timetable for its initiatives, albeit in nearly all cases we won’t see any impact on the ground until after 2020.

“The collaborative development of the strategy – with the National Infrastructure Commission and others – is encouraging, and this ethos should continue. We also back a mix of transformational projects and smaller scale transport investments, alongside system improvements such as smart ticketing which will enable the North to look, feel and operate as a single zone.

“But we would like to see more ambition, embracing concepts such as an entirely new East – West road and rail corridors from Liverpool to Hull. Only through bold thinking, translated into bold investment, will we unlock the full potential of the Northern Powerhouse.”