Leaders call for more investment to support the North’s recovery
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28th September 2020

Leaders call for more investment to support the North's recovery

Business leaders from across the Northern Powerhouse have largely welcomed the new measures introduced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to support jobs and businesses following the end of the furlough scheme, but called for more investment to help the North’s economic recovery.

The Chancellor yesterday (24 September 2020) announced a package of measures to protect jobs and help businesses, including a new Jobs Support Scheme to returning workers, extending the Self Employment Income Support Scheme and 15 per cent VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as help for businesses in repaying government-backed loans.

 

Barry White, chief executive at Transport for the North, said the support was “essential” to the North’s future prosperity.

“We welcome the government’s continuing commitment to levelling up all areas of the country and this will need confirmed funding brought forward for vital infrastructure projects,” he said. “As outlined in our Economic Recovery Plan, our proposed five-year, £5bn pipeline of road and rail projects, including active travel and smart ticketing proposals, could create up to 20,000 design and construction jobs and lay the foundations for greener economic recovery and growth.

“We’d like to see further support for the North to ‘build back better’ with committed, sustained investment for these schemes confirmed over the coming months.”

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