Regional leaders welcome Greater Manchester transport settlement

Following the Chancellor’s announcement of a £2.5 billion transport settlement for Greater Manchester, business and political leaders in the city region have welcomed the investment.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the investment in Rochdale yesterday, 5th June, which will support tram extensions into Stockport and between Bury and Rochdale, new electric buses, and enable rail services to be integrated into the Bee Network. The £2.5 billion settlement for Greater Manchester was part of £15.6 billion given out to combined authorities across the North, as well as the East Midlands and Bristol area.

In Stockport, Council Leader Cllr Mark Roberts described the funding as a ‘huge moment’ for Stockport and the whole of Greater Manchester. He said:

“Stockport is the fastest-growing town in Greater Manchester, and today’s decision sends a powerful signal that investment is following ambition. We’ve already delivered the award-winning, Metrolink-ready Stockport Interchange and the UK’s largest town centre regeneration — now, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get on site to deliver Metrolink.”

Leader of neighbouring Manchester City Council, and GMCA’s Economy Lead, Cllr Bev Craig also praised the investment in improving bus services across the city-region. She said:

“Today’s £2.5bn zero-emissions transport funding announcement is transformative news for Manchester and the city region. Manchester has campaigned for many years to see investment in our transport system. In a settlement that was better than we predicted and will make a real difference right across the city.

“We have already seen the success of bringing the buses under public control and this will be a much-needed boost to improve capacity for years to come.“

Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, acknowledged the potential major investment in local transport projects could help cities across the North close their productivity gaps, citing successes already seen in Greater Manchester. He said:

“This government’s decision to back major local transport projects with serious, long-term investment will be critical to driving regional growth. The economic revival of Greater Manchester, enabled by sustained investment in the tram network in particular, has already begun to close the productivity gap with London. To build on that success and replicate it across all our regions in the North, we need to see key projects delivered – including the extension of the Metro to Washington, the replacement of the Sheffield tram fleet, and the extension of Metrolink to Stockport.

“Too many times in the past, a trade-off was made – due to limited funding – between connectivity within and between our regions. The spending rules adopted last autumn mean this government can invest in both at the same time, unlocking far greater productivity gains than prioritising one at the expense of the other.“

Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, also praised the investment locally, but highlighted the omission of inter-city connectivity from the Chancellor’s announcement, particularly plans for a new Liverpool to Manchester rail link. He said:

“Today’s announcement on key local infrastructure projects and the recognition that investment needs realignment across the country is a positive step forward. For too long, too many locations critical to the success of the UK economy, have struggled due to transport networks that fail to support sustainable growth. What we see today marks the beginning of correcting years of under-investment.

“However, more work remains – especially in connecting major economic hubs across the country, particularly cities in the north. That’s why it is crucial to ensure that new projects, such as the Liverpool-Manchester Railway, feature prominently in future funding decisions. This government has ambitious growth plans, and by supporting projects like this, communities will witness real progress, businesses will gain confidence to invest, and economic expansion will follow.

“Today is a strong starting point, but the real challenge is ensuring the government sees the job through to completion.”

Looking beyond Greater Manchester, Jonny Haseldine, Head of Business Environment at the British Chambers of Commerce, noted how businesses nationally could have greater confidence in being a part of supply chains for delivering on transport infrastructure projects. He said:

“The pathway to the strong and consistent growth the UK economy needs has to come through investment in our regions.

“That means developing regional infrastructure, including transport projects and grid connectivity, improved rail capacity and electrification of key sections of the network.

“These projects can then give firms involved in the supply chains real confidence to start planning and investing in their local economies.

“But it is critical that no corner of the UK gets left behind and regional development works in alignment with national goals.“