Bruntwood supports devolution of powers for the North's rail network
By Bruntwood
This morning, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership has launched a report assessing the economic impact of this summer's Northern rail chaos, as a result of the roll-out of new timetables.
The report reveals that more than a million hours have been lost by railway users in the North; based on the Department for Transport’s guidelines, this represents an economic impact of £38m. The delays saw users unable to get to work, missing out on job opportunities or struggling to get to work for days at a time, and businesses having to deal with staff shortages and a drastic cut in productivity.
It is imperative that we find a better way to make decisions regarding our railway infrastructure, in order to ensure effective and joined up investment programmes. We support the Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s calls for greater responsibility of rail franchises, oversight of rail infrastructure investment and long-term investment plans to be devolved to Transport for the North.
Read the full report here.