26 transport projects, including bus and rail schemes, received support from the second installment of the government’s Levelling Up Fund

 
Prime minister Rishi Sunak and chancellor Jeremy Hunt highlighting levelling-up investment last week

 
Initiatives to improve public transport were among the beneficiaries of up to £2.1bn of levelling up funding announced by the government last week.

A total of 111 areas have been awarded funding from the second round of the government’s Levelling Up Fund, providing investment in communities that will create new jobs, drive growth, help restore local pride, and spread opportunity more equally.

More than £645m -about 30% of the total funding – has been allocated to 26 projects across the UK to improve transport links. This includes:

  • £50m for Cardiff Crossrail to improve the journey to and from the city and raise the economic performance of the wider region;
  • £50m for Cornwall to help create a new direct train service, linking four of the county’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro, and Falmouth/Penryn.
  • £40m for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to transform its bus services, especially in areas of deprivation and for communities who do not have access to a car;
  • and nearly £20m for the North East Combined Authority to buy more than 50 new electric buses.

This is a major down payment on local jobs, growth and regeneration, all part of our mission to level up opportunity across the country

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said: “This is a major down payment on local jobs, growth and regeneration, all part of our mission to level up opportunity across the country.”

However, Urban Transport Group has warned the government to announce further post-Covid support for buses. The organisation has also called for transport authorities to receive more discretion and automony on how funding is spent.
UTG warning: page 5

 
This story appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

DON’T MISS OUT – GET YOUR COPY! – click here to subscribe!