Strategic sub-national planning needed for economic recovery

29th June 2010

Freight on Rail welcomes the Coalition’s continued support for National Infrastructure planning and its commitment to local enterprise partnerships to promote and build local economies. However, without sub-national strategies, which set the overriding framework for sub-regional transport planning and investment, it will be difficult to get planning permission, which is given at the local level, for schemes which have wider sub-regional benefits but are unpopular locally; industry will not want to pursue projects with this level of risk and uncertainty.

Philippa Edmunds Freight on Rail Manager said “Major fast track infrastructure planning is crucial if Strategic Rail Freight interchanges are to get planning permission and play their role in building the low carbon economy and providing green jobs.”

She continued, “However, transport decisions which affect several regions cannot be dictated entirely by local decisions if we are to achieve sustainable economic regeneration and carbon reduction even if the Coalition is committed to the localism agenda otherwise the economy will suffer and jobs will be lost.”
 

Notes to editors

Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Planning quango closes
http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/newsroom/1626268

Joint DCLG and Department for Business Innovation and Skills – Local Enterprise Partnerships
http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/newsroom/1626460