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last mo.

Reeves Unveils £15.6bn Transport Package to Address North-South Funding Divide

She announced it after IPPR analysis revealed a £140bn shortfall with London’s per-person transport funding more than twice that of the North.

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Overview

  • IPPR North analysis of Treasury data shows that between 2009-10 and 2022-23 London received £1,183 per head on transport while the North got just £486, creating a £140bn investment gap.
  • The £15.6bn package gives mayoral authorities in the North and Midlands new funding for public transport, including £2.5bn earmarked for bus, tram and Metrolink upgrades in Greater Manchester.
  • Ministers have set aside hundreds of millions to develop a new rail link between Manchester and Liverpool by the 2030s and expect the June 11 Spending Review to confirm further regional commitments.
  • Former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s 2023 cancellation of HS2 north of Birmingham was paired with his pledge to reinvest £36bn in northern and midlands schemes, a promise that critics say remains largely unfulfilled.
  • Think tank IPPR North and Lord Jim O’Neill are calling for a ‘Great Northern Rail’ strategy and a transparent delivery framework to sustain long-term investment across the region.