Alongside the Budget, the government has also agreed a joint statement of intent with the largest cities in the North to drive forward the region.
Chancellor George Osborne said: “I said we would build the Northern Powerhouse, We’ve put in place the mayors. We’re building the roads. We’re laying the track. We’re making the Northern Powerhouse a reality and rebalancing our country.”
Among the Budget announcements the Highways Agency is getting extra cash to accelerate by two years the upgrade of the M62 to a four-lane smart motorway between junction 10-12 Warrington to Eccles, and to accelerate work on junction 20-25 Rochdale to Brighouse.
It will also speed-up the development of other critical road projects in the North, including Lofthouse and Simister Island junctions, and begin upgrades to the M56 at junctions 6-8 south of Manchester in this Parliament.
Northern Powerhouse
Project start timeline
2015-16 Key Project Starts:
• £220m upgrade to M6 J16-19 between Crewe and Knutsford
• Construction of the £230m A6 to Manchester Airport relief road
• Phase one of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Key Project
2016-17 Key Project Starts:
• Construction of £200m New Polar Research Vessel, Birkenhead
• New rail franchises for TransPennine Express and Northern start 1 April 2016
• £100m improvement to A19/A1058 Coast Road Junction in Newcastle
• £75m development of improvements to M60, Northern TransPennine links (A66 and A69) and TransPennine tunnel between Manchester and Sheffield Key Project
2017-18 Key Project Starts:
• ESIOS – Energy Subsurface Test Centre, Chester • National Centre for Ageing Science and Innovation, Newcastle
• Smart Motorway on the M62 J10-12 (Manchester – Warrington)
• £13m Hull UK City of Culture
2018-19 Key Project Starts:
• Ouse and Foss flood defence schemes in York, and phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Publish 2nd Roads Investment Strategy (2020-25), which could include TransPennine tunnel and upgrades to northern TransPennine roads and M60
• Comprehensive upgrades to the TransPennine rail route, paving the way for High Speed 3 Key Project
2019-20 Key Project Starts:
• Upgrades to the A5036 Princess Way and M56 J6-8 Smart Motorway (Manchester Airport – A556)
• Smart Motorway on the M62 J20-25 (Leeds – Manchester)
• Upgrades to the A1 north of Ellingham • M62/M606 Chain Bar in Bradford Key Project
