Travel through the recession

One of Greater Manchester’s transport leaders argued today that investing in the region’s buses, trains and trams will help the North battle through the recession.

Councillor Keith Whitmore, Vice Chair of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) was speaking at a Bridgewater Hall conference entitled “Connecting the Northern City Regions – The Crucial Role of Transport”.

The conference examined how transport can be improved to reduce the North-South gap by improving links between the North’s city regions and cities.

In his speech, Councillor Whitmore outlined how Greater Manchester’s Transport Innovation Fund bid had provided “the clearest understanding of the critical role that transport investment has to play in securing the future economic stability of Northern cities”.

He said: “In the short term, the government has rightly identified a key role for transport investment schemes in securing a fiscal stimulus to combat the impact of recession.

“By having schemes ready for delivery that have proven future economic benefits, we can offer the opportunity for work creation now, that will bring a lasting productivity legacy in the years beyond the current recession.”

Councillor Whitmore also called for “real influence over those matters that can most make a difference” in relation to the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, the next round of rail refranchising and the current debate over the Bus Service Operators Grant.

And he also pinpointed the Manchester Rail Hub as the greatest single strategic transport issue for the economic future of the North.

The conference also heard from Neil Scales OBE, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, Dave Harrison, Director of Partnerships of the North West Development Agency, and Andrew Cornish, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, among others.