The UK suffers from a range of regional inequalities that prevents our communities from achieving their full potential. To unlock regional success, we must level up the country. In a recent CIHT Monthly Masterclass, three experts from three different Sub-National Transport Bodies (STBs) – Peter Molyneaux (Ex – TfN), Sarah valentine (TfSE), and Suzanne Winkels (EEH) – detailed the different ways levelling up is being planned and achieved to ensure regional success in their areas across the UK.
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Levelling up is a moral, social and economic programme for the whole of government that sets out how opportunity will be spread more equally across the UK.
Liz Truss’ new government has positioned itself as being pro-growth, something that plays directly into the levelling up agenda. This new Government must not forget that economic growth can be achieved by investing in underperforming areas and delivering what was set out in the levelling up white paper. CIHT recently spoke of the importance of the levelling up agenda. Therefore, we must see a connection between the pro-growth policy of the Truss government, and the levelling up agenda.
Here are some key takeaways on from the CIHT Masterclass webinar on levelling up that are important to CIHT members and the wider highways and infrastructure community:
The challenge to achieve net zero by 2050 and Levelling Up go hand in hand. Therefore, any opportunity to level up should be considered alongside how this contributes to climate action, and the delivery of net zero by 2050.
We need to measure success in societal benefits – Peter Molyneux
A transport system that caters for the many, not the few, can provide a positive benefit for both people and business, providing access to jobs, increasing productivity, supporting the growth of the economy, as well as unlocking new areas for development and providing the opportunity for innovation.
Transport is an enabler of economic growth - Peter Molyneux
Levelling up is an opportunity to create better, more sustainable connections to our market towns and rural communities. As well as delivering fast, reliable, and sustainable inter and inner-city transportation that is inclusive, not exclusive.
We will use the hierarchy of modes to shape the detail of proposals coming forward – to repurpose our space so as to encourage active travel – Suzanne Winkels
A systems approach – sum of its parts - is needed for both transport and levelling up as a whole.
Transport will play a key role in levelling up but, while important, it must do so as part of a systems approach. Transport cannot level up the country alone, so it must work as an effective part to achieve the 12 missions set out by the government earlier this year (Feb 2022).
It is about how the modes can work together in order to deliver transformational change – Sarah Valentine
The 2020 Spending Review saw the Chancellor committing around £4 billion worth of funding to the Levelling Up agenda. However, the UK now finds itself in a cost-of-living crisis, and soaring inflation meaning that spending power does not go as far as it used to.
The effects of this are already starting to be seen, with infrastructure spending being re-evaluated across the board and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) recommending that an extra £31 billion in levelling up funding will be needed for cities outside of London, highlighting the inadequacy of the current funding available.
Moreover, there needs to be a simplified mechanism to deliver funding instead of the current system of competitive funding pots.
CIHT held a recent Masterclass webinar focused on levelling up from a subnational transport body (STB) perspective, with insights from Peter Molyneux FCIHT, Ex - Major Roads Director at Transport for the North (TfN) and current Managing Director at Peter Molyneux Consulting; Suzanne Winkels, Principal Technical Lead, England's Economic Heartland (EEH); and Sarah Valentine MCIHT, Head of Analysis and Appraisal, Transport for the South East. CIHT members can watch the webinar recording here.
Documents Referenced in Webinar:
TfN Transport Decarbonisation Strategy
TfN Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
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