I was pleased to have the opportunity today to raise the issue of more funding for our roads and railways with Mrs May during Prime Minister’s Questions.
I asked:
“Would the Prime Minister confirm her support for Transport for the North’s strategic transport plan, which would help create an additional 850,000 jobs and £100bn economic growth by 2050 by connecting the key cities of the north through Northern Powerhouse Rail and improving key trunk roads such as the A64, which runs through the beautiful and economically stifled constituency of Thirsk and Malton?”
In response, Mrs May said:
“I agree with my hon Friend about the importance of Transport for the North. We are giving the great towns and cities and counties of the north more say over transport investment through Transport for the North enabling the north to speak with one voice on its vision for transport over the next 30 years. They’ve made significant progress in finalising their strategic transport plan and I welcome that. We are committed to reversing decades of underinvestment in northern transport and we will have invested a record £13bn in the region by 2020.
In regards to the A64, I understand Highways England have undertaken considerable work on the performance of the A64 and that will inform decisions that they will be taking on strategic road investments in the next period between 2020 and 2025 as part of the second Road Investment Strategy but I am sure that they will have heard the passionate plea from my hon Friend for his constituency.”
I shall continue my work with local authorities in my constituency and neighbouring MPs in Parliament to secure sufficient funding to see the strategic transport plan through to fruition.
