In October, two years after the initial plan for ‘levelling up’ was introduced, Rishi Sunak defined the plans for the north as “investing in ambitious local plans aimed at empowering local communities, boosting living standards, spreading opportunity, improving public services and restoring local pride.”
Since then, Michael Gove, the Levelling Up secretary, has stated that these plans could take up to 2030 before the outcome is reached.
Some northerners have seen this goal as ambitious, but to others these changes to the priorities of public transport, housing and broadband are necessary if there is any chance of keeping up with the South of England.
The transport system within the North was set to receive £570m, starting a supertram renewal project, however this still does not match the £1.6bn transport system that the South has access to via the London underground.
With the government continuously addressing and updating the plans for the north, it would seem as if the funding proposal will increase, however, Mr Gove clearly stated yesterday the government’s intention was not to bring “fresh funding”, but to shift both money and power into the hands of the working people.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Lucy Brabin, responded to this update regarding time scale and shift in aid the North needed, stating that the “devil will be in the detail”.
She added: “It is like a love letter to leveling up: lots of ambition, lots of hope, but unless you actually have the money and the resources you are going to be struggling.”
Four months ago this targeted operation was labelled “the greatest project that any government can embark on”, but we are still yet to see the white bill get passed through parliament to become under construction for those reliant on it to make life easier.
