George Osborne's 'northern powerhouse' promise is not going to plan

When George Osborne unveiled his plans for the northern powerhouse at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry last year, he promised “massive investments” in transport infrastructure in the north.

Now concerns are being raised that three major schemes are delaying his “ambitious plan” to boost the north’s economy by improving the way commuters travel around and between the region’s cities.

Three problems

• Patrick McLoughlin announced in June he had “paused” the Manchester-Leeds electrification after announcing that Network Rail’s investment programme was “costing more and taking longer”.

• The Chancellor’s plan to link Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria Stations, a project known as the Ordsall Chord, has also been delayed after engineer Mark Whitby launched a legal challenge, which will be heard at the High Court next month.

• Transport for Greater Manchester has been working with Atos to deliver an Oyster-style scheme. But TfGM and Atos said that Atos cannot deliver the scheme as contracted.

Here's what the key figures are saying

Business leaders in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire say the Chancellor now needs to take steps to ensure firm deadlines are set to get his plans moving.

Nearly 70 business figures in Yorkshire signed an open letter last month challenging Mr Osborne to “honour” pre-election promises to upgrade the region’s railways.

It’s good to see the Chancellor so firmly behind the idea of the northern powerhouse, but if he is to see his ambition fully realised, he must continue to take control and ensure that new and firm deadlines are realistic and that work begins as soon as possible.

• Christian Spence, head of research and policy at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Peter Box, the chairman of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, has written to Mr McLoughlin saying the region feels “let down” by the delay in the Manchester-Leeds electrification and called for a revised plan.

The Government is determined to close the economic gap between the North and South. We recognise that passengers will be frustrated by delays, but we look to our partners to resolve issues as soon as possible.

• Department for Transport spokesperson

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