Andy Burnham told a webinar on Monday: “Yes, we need to talk about infrastructure and create a 2030 or a 2040 vision – and (Manchester) Piccadilly will, I think, become the heart of the Northern Powerhouse like the Canary Wharf of the north. But that is for the long term; let’s fix what is there now: making public transport more affordable to use than a car.”

He also said that transport “has to be top” of the list of priorities for authorities to focus on right now, adding “the transport debate will be changed by Covid”. He pointed out that regional transport will come to the fore as an issue “rather than inter city transport”.

Transport has become synonymous with building new infrastructure, he went on, but most people’s experience is with the everyday. “Making quick improvements and making sure transport is integrated is my focus.” The mayor also reiterated calls for the Government to devolve more funding and powers to the regions.

The ‘How the North can build back better’ webinar from Transport for the North also heard from think tank IPPR North’s director Sarah Longlands, who said the north needs a “proper system of devolution and a ramp up in powers”.

She added: “At the moment we are dealing with a Government that is all about soundbites and I think that detracts from what we are trying to achieve. The ‘Build, Build, Build’ speech  (from the Prime Minister) was very much a reheating of existing commitments; infrastructure takes a long time to plan and implement.”

Sarah also said that while there had been announcements focused on increased capital funding, “what we are really missing is money to build the pathways, and that means revenue funding”.

(Photograph: Transport for Greater Manchester)