Naomi Green, The Managing Director of England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), addressed a packed TransCityRail SOUTH this morning (11th July).
Her message was clear: if rail leaders in the South can form a united voice and establish a clear direction, there is huge opportunity to deliver serious change to the region’s rail infrastructure.
Naomi pointed to the new Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh’s, main priorities for the rail industry: improve the overall performance of the rail network, deliver greater opportunities for social mobility, and find green solutions.
Notably, none of the priorities concerns economic growth – this is considered a given and relies on a united approach by transport bodies across the country, particularly in the South.
Unlike metropolitan city regions across the Midlands and the North, there are several smaller economic hubs across the South, such as Brighton, Thames Valley, Oxford and Cambridge. This different economic and geographic layout requires a different approach, one in which subnational transport bodies work with the public and private sectors, and indeed each other, to set common targets and provide a more compelling case for change.
Naomi identified the Ely Junction improvements as one such example. Ely Junction provides vital freight routes between the Midlands, the North and Scotland and can remove up to 100,000 HGVs from the road every year, proving to be a vital artery for the freight sector with significant green credentials.
Many partners collaborated, bringing a single voice emphasising support for the improvement scheme. With a united front, the partners were able to create a strong case for investment, commitment to which came last October.
Naomi also discussed the South East Rail Partnership, a triumvirate of subnational transport bodies, with England’s Economic Heartland, Transport East, and Transport for the South East coming together in 2023.
The core principle of the partnership is simple: “Travelling by public transport is only a choice that people can make if it is viable: accessible, affordable, easy to understand, reliable and well connected.”
Naomi said that recognising these values is crucial to achieving the targets set out by Louise Haigh, and that unlocking mobility and connectivity opportunities is crucial to tackling other key shortcomings such as a lack of housing.
With a population of 17 million people in the South, excluding London, the region suffers both from housing affordability issues and high carbon emissions from transport, which are around 10% higher than the national average due to car dependency.
Naomi argued that building new homes unsupported by proper infrastructure is not a solution. Rail already links core economic clusters and provides access to key services. It supports London’s large labour market, providing access to 2 million commuters and has proved itself to be capable of supporting London’s economy.
If such connectivity can be replicated across the South, the railway can play a huge role in driving down the cost of property around London, removing cars and HGVs from the roads, creating genuine opportunities for social mobility.
Image credit: Rail Technology Magazine
