Greater Norwich is one of 10 city areas that have made the shortlist for the Department of Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund, which would give Greater Norwich a huge boost for public transport infrastructure.
The shortlist was announced by the Prime Minister, Theresa May. She said:
“Our great cities and their suburbs are home to millions of people and world-beating businesses. “We want to help them succeed, so as part of our modern Industrial Strategy we will fund £840 million of upgrades for better, safer, faster transport links.
“These improvements to vital infrastructure will help spread growth beyond London and empower local businesses to create more, better-paying jobs – opening up more opportunities to help people get on in life and be rewarded for their hard work.”
The announcement means that Transport for Norwich (TfN) is in line for a share of an £840m pot of money specifically for promoting intra-city connectivity – aiming to make it easier for people to access jobs, training and retail.
At the heart of the bid, which was put together in partnership between Norfolk, Norwich, Broadland District and South Norfolk councils, is a new high-quality, integrated public transport network for the area.
It highlights three strategic routes to support the Norwich Research Park, Broadland Business Park and the airport industrial estate, each with a focus on where they meet the city centre.
Smart ticketing, cleaner vehicles, real-time information and faster journey times are all features outlined in the vision for Greater Norwich.
Welcoming the news, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“The shortlisting of Norwich for the Transforming Cities Fund shows that the government is taking our city’s economic potential seriously. Further funding will deliver greater transport integration and help businesses driver greater economic growth and jobs for Norfolk.”
Councillor Martin Wilby, Chair of Norfolk County Council’s Environment, Development and Transport Committee, says:
“Greater Norwich is ready for significant investment in public transport so it’s fantastic news that we’ve been shortlisted. Funding through Transforming Cities would help us deliver the integrated network we need to support growth in homes, jobs and the local economy over the coming years.
“We can now look forward to working with the DfT and in collaboration with Transport for Norwich partners to transform how we travel in and around the city.”
The next stage of the process involves the DfT working closely with the TfN team to develop a detailed package of projects to take forward.
Final decisions on the amount of funding will be made once all successful applicants’ proposals have been assessed.
To download a copy of the Greater Norwich bid document, please visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/transformingcities.
