George Osborne will use his Budget to give the green light to the HS3 rail project between Manchester and Leeds, reducing journey times towards 30 minutes, as part of Britain’s “largest programme of rail investment since the Victorian age”. Options for a new trans-Pennine tunnel will also be explored as well as upgrades to the M60 and M62.
The Chancellor plans to commit funds to a raft of projects recommended by the London Cypriot Lord Adonis-led National Infrastructure Commission in his Budget on Wednesday (16 March 2016).
The two biggest announcements will be government backing for the HS3 higher speed rail project between Manchester and Leeds, with a full blueprint to be drawn up by next year, and Crossrail 2 in London.
Osborne intends to take forward HS3 with £60m to develop detailed plans to reduce journey times towards 30 minutes, as well as plans for improving links between the other major cities of the North. In addition, he is expected to explore options for a trans-Pennine tunnel between Manchester and Sheffield with £75m to develop plans, as well as looking at options to enhance the AQ66, A69 and the north-west part of the M60.
And he is set to support significant improvements to roads with £161m for Highways England to accelerate upgrades to the M62 between Junctions 10 and 12 from Warrington to Eccles and Junctions 20 to 25 between Rochdale and Brighouse.
In addition, the Chancellor will launch a new £1.2bn fund to release brownfield land to build more than 30,000 ‘starter homes’ across the country.
This programme is intended to help councils build homes for first-time buyers, and is part of a wider drive to deliver the biggest affordable house building programme since the 1970s. The government will go further in releasing public sector land for housing, with a particular focus on land around stations.
The Chancellor is also being urged to back a major upgrade of Manchester Piccadilly train station, the Simister Island motorway interchange and the M56 around Manchester Airport.
Osborne said: “With the difficulties we see in the global economy, we’ve got to make Britain fit for the future.
“Now is the time us to make the bold decisions and the big investments that will help us to lead the world in infrastructure, and create jobs, push up living standards and boost our productivity for the next generation. That’s what my Budget this week sets out to do.”
“We set up the National Infrastructure Commission to think for the long term, plan for the future and help us lead the world.
“I want to thank Lord Adonis and the National Infrastructure Commission for their excellent work in setting out the long term priorities for London and the Northern Powerhouse, which I am determined to deliver.”
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “We know that good transport doesn’t just help get people around, it helps them get on.
“The National Infrastructure Commission has rightly identified these projects as transformational schemes that have the potential to further strengthen our economy. This is a major step forward for the Northern Powerhouse and Londoners alike.”
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