Refurbished rail stations are set to be a part of £4.7bn of reallocated HS2 funding, government ministers have announced today.
From April 2025, the local transport fund will open with the north set to receive £2.5bn and the midlands the residual £2.2bn.
The government says the funding will give local councils and transport authorities the certainty to commit to long-term investment and transformative projects.
The Department for Transport will launch advice for such organisations to help them make the most of the funding available.
The funding is being directed to the north and midlands because most of the HS2 savings are from those regions.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak says this investment will “benefit more people, in more places, more quickly than HS2 ever would have done”.
He adds that the new local transport fund will beckon in a new era of transport connectivity.
Network North has already seen the government commit to the delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub, which will improve things like journey times, capacity, and service frequency.
Another £12bn has also been pledged to better connect Manchester and Liverpool, which would allow for the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The government says, however, it will consult local leaders on whether there are other ways to spend that £12bn and achieve similar objectives.
Chair of Transport for the North, Lord Patrick McLoughlin, says: “By having greater clarity on the funding that’s available, and consolidating funding streams, it helps remove inertia and accelerates delivery on the ground.”
Maria Machancoses, Midlands Connect’s chief executive, adds: “We welcome this announcement and the improvements it will bring for our communities and businesses across the Midlands”.
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