Transport for the North (TfN) has said it expects its formal statutory status as England’s first sub-national transport body to be recognised by the end of 2017.
The decision will mean that TfN can inform vital decisions on rail investment programmes in the next five years. This is ensured by giving the secretary of state for transport a legal obligation to take into account the North’s priorities when making transport infrastructure investment.
TfN’s mobilisation director Dawn Madin said that becoming a sub-national transport body will be a ‘tremendous achievement’.
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She added, ‘Our primary function as a statutory body is to develop a long-term transport strategy for the North of England that will help to rebalance the UK economy and drive economic growth in the region.
‘This strategy is being developed in the form of our Strategic Transport Plan, which is the result of all of our Partners from across the region coming together to decide what the North needs over the next 30 years in terms of transport infrastructure investment.’
The Strategic Transport Plan is due to be published shortly for consultation.
TfN is made up of civic and business leaders from across Northern England, united to speak to central government with one voice.
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