Transport spend in London twice that in the North

New government figures have shown that transport spending per person has gone up twice as much in London as in the North since the Northern Powerhouse agenda was introduced in 2014.

Analysis of these figures by IPPR North shows that while the capital has seen a £326 per person increase in public spending, the North has seen an increase of only £146, less than half the size. That means that despite the Northern Powerhouse agenda being pushed by the government in four years ago, transport spending per person remains approximately twice as high in London as in the North.

The data reveals that spending has risen by £158 per person in the north west in the last year, a significant increase on the £91 per person in London. However, spending per head in the north west still remains far lower at £528 compared to £1,019 per person in London.

Furthermore, despite a rise of £2 per person in the North East, spending fell in Yorkshire and the Humber by £18 per person – more than any other region. The IPPR North think tank has renewed its call for the Department for Transport to follow through on promises to invest in the North and to devolve power to Transport for the North.

Luke Raikes, senior research fellow at IPPR North, said: “Today’s figures show us that government still needs to follow through on their promises to make the Northern Powerhouse a reality. An increase in spending in the north west in the past year is very welcome. As is the £37 million announced in the Budget for transport in the North, but the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber are yet to see such a boost, and investment in the North still pales in comparison to spending in London. People are continuing to suffer the very real effects of decades of underinvestment, and the ongoing chaos on northern trains is a clear sign of how far there is to go.

“The Northern Powerhouse has the potential to improve the whole country by transforming the North’s economy. In realising this, transport has an important role to play in helping to connect people, services and goods across the region. Next year will offer the government an opportunity to improve their record on transport spending. They must take it. Transport for the North is now developing investment plans that will address this long-standing problem and the government will then have the chance to follow through on their promises: to give the green light on long-overdue investment in the North; and to devolve real power so that the North can take responsibility for its own transport network.”