Ben Houchen announces potential rail nationalisation as part of …
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has announced his combined authority’s future transport investments, spending £1bn to deliver a package of projects across the region.
Published 15th Jan 2024, 16:15 GMT
Updated 15th Jan 2024, 16:19 GMT
A total of 26 different projects were announced by Lord Houchen at an event in the undercroft of Middlesbrough[1] train station, which continues to undergo extensive renovations as part of a £35m redevelopment programme.
Among the spending announced were a £5m study into possible rail franchising in the region, £1m to examine the possibility of a road tunnel beneath the Tees, £250m for a new Darlington link road, and £15m to bring forward long-standing plans to expand the A19 Tees flyover.
The mayor explained how each of the newly-announced projects would be funded by the second pot of funding of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) scheme from central government. Tees Valley has seen its allocation for CRSTS2 increase from £617m to £978m after the Government scrapped the northern leg of the HS2[2] high speed rail project.
Lord Houchen at the transport announcement in Middlesbrough station's undercroft.
Allocated spending for the 26 projects, according to the presentation given by Lord Houchen, reaches £1bn.
Speaking to his audience over the sound of generators in freezing temperatures, Lord Houchen said he was in favour of scrapping HS2. “I think it was a white elephant, a massive waste of money, something that wasn’t going to benefit Teesside or the wider North East at all in any way, shape or form.
“In fact, it was only going to benefit the likes of Manchester and Leeds in the mid-2040s,” he said.
Chris McEwan, Labour candidate for May’s mayoral election, was critical of Lord Houchen’s plans.
“Lord Houchen in the same breath decried HS2 as a white elephant, and announced a plan for driverless cars to go with his underground tunnel and the hospital he doesn’t have the power to build,” he said.
“Proper investment in our roads and rail is long overdue, and some of this work should’ve started 7 years ago when he was first elected.
“We need to really focus on connecting community to oportunity.
“As Tees Valley mayor I’ll implement an ambitious, long term strategy for our roads, rail and buses. Not rely on gimmicks.”
Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “No funding from the cancellation of the Northern leg of HS2 will be available until 2027 and any money spent on these plans before then must come from previously allocated funds.
Asked how projects could be delivered with funding that isn’t available for three years, a spokesperson for Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) said: “Transport funding is notionally allocated for the period 2027/28 to 2031/32. But the Government has said that there will be a chance for some of this funding to be brought forward into the last two years of CRSTS1 (2025/26 and 2026/27).
“In the meantime, in order to reduce the lead in time for projects so their delivery can start in the coming years, the Combined Authority is proposing to commit the CRSTS1 package toward the adjusted £1bn programme for development work. The programme will then, ultimately, be funded from CRSTS2.
“This is, to the greatest extent seen in this country anyway, devolution in action.”
References
- ^ Middlesbrough (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)
- ^ HS2 (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)