AN ambitious £70 billion vision of how the North’s economy could be transformed through major infrastructure projects has been revealed.

Transport for the North (TfN) has today unveiled its draft proposals for northern infrastructure for the next 30 years.

The body says its Strategic Transport Plan and its Investment Programme would “rebalance decades of underinvestment and transform the lives of people in the North”.

The plan outlines how up to £70 billion of investment to 2050 could contribute towards an additional £100 billion in economic growth for the North’s economy - creating 850,000 extra jobs.

A ‘pipeline’ of transport interventions has been laid out with the aim of better connecting the whole of the North, with a short, medium and long-term plan for investment.

It aims to transform connectivity and makes the case to increase spending on strategic transport by around £50 per person in the North each year to 2050.

As well as upgraded and new major roads and enhancements to the existing rail network, it also includes the “jewel in the crown” Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

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Last year it was announced Bradford would have a stop on the new NPR line between Leeds and Manchester. Campaigners have argued the station must be in the city centre in order to reap the benefits and open opportunities for trade, investment, jobs, skills and business growth.

The Strategic Transport Plan says:

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council Leader and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “This important plan showcases our shared ambition to transform transport across the North of England and sets out exactly how this can be delivered over the next 30 years.

“The powerful case for Northern Powerhouse Rail connecting Manchester to Leeds via a new line with a city centre station in Bradford is a key plank of the plan and we will continue to work with TfN to ensure this project delivers its full potential.”

Councillor Judith Blake, West Yorkshire Combined Authority Lead on Transport, NPR, serving Bradford, integrated with an upgraded trans-Pennine line, HS2 and local and regional services via a redeveloped Leeds Station, will deliver “transformational benefits”.

Northern Powerhouse Partnership Director Henri Murison said: “We now must ensure that Northern Powerhouse Rail – the jewel in the crown of Northern infrastructure improvements – is given the green light, and that HS2 is brought to Leeds and Manchester. These major projects are not simply about cutting journey times, increasing frequency or enhancing capacity. They will create the opportunities our young people need to secure the skilled jobs of the future needed to transform our economy and eradicate the North-South divide.”

The plans will be considered by TfN’s Board on February 7. Subject to approval the plans will be officially launched on February 11 in Sheffield at the body’s Inaugural Conference. The proposals will then become TfN’s statutory advice to Government.