Member Article

Chamber urges Grayling to see North East transport problems first hand

The North East England Chamber of Commerce has invited Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to visit the region so he can witness the impact of transport funding disparity between the North East and London.

Signed by both Chamber President John McCabe and chief executive, James Ramsbotham, the letter stresses the limits of the region’s economy, highlighting how continued lack of investment perpetuates the problem.

An ambition to reduce the gap had been previously set out by David Cameron’s government, although cause for a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ has quieted in May’s term.

James Ramsbotham explained the reasoning behind reaching out to the Secretary.

He said: “We want the Minister to see the conditions businesses experience every day on our regional network and witness the difference targeted, consistent investment could make to our regional economy.

“The cancelled rail electrification programme would have provided the missing pieces on a stretch of fully electrified railway from Newcastle to Liverpool through Durham, Darlington, York, Leeds and Manchester.

“Reversal of such high profile planned infrastructure upgrades in the North of England, couples the long term impact on the region’s economic potential, with the short term blow to business confidence and efforts to rebalance the UK’s economy.

“North East England, in particular, has made great progress in recent years with employment rising and unemployment falling, but our members continue to point to the need to improve transport connectivity to enable them to realise their potential.

“It is vital that the Government plays its part in providing the connectivity our region’s businesses need to flourish.”

Click here to read the letter in full.

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