London hogs UK transport spending - report

Sunday, December 18, 2011
10:38 AM

Londoners benefit from more money per head on transport spending than all of the other regions combined, claims a new report.

Despite London’s capital status and hosting the 2012 Olympics, the study says transport investment is still unbalanced.

Analysis by the think tank IPPR North shows that almost half of major transport projects involving public funding benefit only London and the South East, accounting for 84 per cent of planned spending.

This is compared to six per cent in the North of England as a whole and only 0.04 per cent in the North East.

An average of £2,731 per person is spent in the capital city. The figure for the south-east is £792, with east midlands next highest with a mean spend of £269 per person.

Labelling “shocking” the figures, Ed Cox, director of IPPR North, said: “Of course every country has a capital city and some of London’s transport infrastructure wouldn’t be happening without the Olympics.

“There may be short term gains to be made in the capital but if we want the UK economy to be firing on all cylinders there needs to be a focus on growth in cities like Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.

Eleven out of the top 20 major infrastructure projects involving public funding benefit only London and the South East compared with just five of the top 20 in the North of England, researchers said.

The report was compiled using figures for spending over the coming four years.