Crisis after £1.4bn East Coast rail franchise collapse

Jul 2 2009 by William Green, The Journal

A decade of transport study, but £2m is given for new research

THE Government is to hand over £2m for a study into North East transport priorities despite a decade’s-worth of research already available.

Ministers at the Department for Transport want to know what the region will need in order to upgrade and improve its airports, roads, railways and ports over the next 30 years. They have asked staff at development agency One North East to examine how economic growth can be achieved at the same time as tackling climate change.

As part of the national Delivering a Sustainable Transport System process the agency will spend cash bringing together all the different concerns in the region. Despite the extensive work previously carried out into North East transport concerns, the Government has insisted new evidence is needed to help set out future priorities.

The agency said the work would help fill in the gaps on issues such as the "economic links between the region and Scotland or other northern regions or between our two city regions".

Margaret Fay, chairwoman at One North East, pictured right, said: "The North East is already pioneering new developments in areas such as electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support it. This research will allow us to assess such things as the future impact of these new technologies and importantly build the evidence base needed to secure future investment.

In addition, the work programme will make a significant contribution to the development of the new regional strategy for the North East." Money will be spent examining the current and future transport connections between the North East and the north and south – and TransPennine connections, connections between Tyne and Wear and Tees Valley, and the environmental impact of any transport improvements.

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