OVERVIEW

Confirmed Keynote Speaker: the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Transport

The government promised to give priority to spending that supports growth in our economy.  Transport does just that. Its role in urban and national competitiveness; in supporting and creating jobs; and in regenerating deprived areas is well documented. The CSR appeared to recognise this fact with transport faring better than other policy areas. However, there remain serious concerns that the historic imbalance of transport investment which has seen the North lose out, has still not sufficiently been rectified. 

Key issues for discussion:

• What has been the impact of the CSR on re-balancing the economy?
• Can giving the lion’s share of transport investment to London be justified?
• What is the Government doing to promote the key transport projects that have most impact on the economy of the North?
• Has devolved government made Scotland as big a competitor as London for the North?
• Will the LEPs and the Regional Growth Fund have sufficient money to have any teeth?
• How can we prevent the transition from RDAs to LEPs from stalling decision-making and investment in regional transport initiatives?
• How can local authorities harness the Tax Incremental Funding powers to best effect?
• What will be the implications of the white paper on Sub-National Economic Growth?