Key Points

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves made the announcement at the Mellor Bus Factory in Rochdale, northern England. She said the funding, to be delivered between 2027 and 2032, represents the largest transport investment by any British government in city regions and will support the expansion of tram, rail, and bus networks in areas including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, the East Midlands, the North East, and South Yorkshire.

According to the plan, Greater Manchester will receive 2.5 billion pounds to expand its Bee Network, with the goal of creating the country's first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system by 2030. Other major projects include metro and tram system extensions, as well as new mass transit links, intended to better connect people to jobs and services and support housing and business growth.

Reeves said the investment is part of a wider 113 billion pound capital programme to be outlined in the upcoming government spending review, Xinhua news agency reported. The funding is intended to address long-standing regional imbalances and reduce reliance on economic activity concentrated in London and the South East.

"For too long, economic growth has been concentrated in too few places, felt by too few people," Reeves said, adding this investment will help build a Britain where opportunity is shared more equally.

The announcement follows changes made in the 2024 Autumn Budget that allow for increased long-term public investment without breaching debt limits. The government is also revising how it evaluates public spending to give greater weight to projects that improve regional productivity and social outcomes.

- IANS