The Northern Powerhouse is the proposed boost to economic growth in the North of England, particularly in the “Core Cities” of Hull, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle.
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The Northern Powerhouse
By pooling the combined strengths of the biggest northern cities, the Northern Powerhouse provides a hub of activity, transport, travel and trade in the North of England.
The Northern Powerhouse Agenda and mission statement, as stated by the United Kingdom Government is:
To drive up productivity in the North, with the aim of raising the UK’s overall level
To close the North-South income gap
To rebalance investment in research & development, unlocking growth opportunities for northern businesses
To promote the North as a place to work, study and live
To build world-class infrastructure, allowing businesses better access to talent and providing more career opportunities for those living here
To drive the decarbonisation of our economy, securing green growth for the UK and helping other countries across the globe to achieve the same
To unlock the benefits of the North’s unique cultural assets, celebrating the rich heritage of our towns, cities and countryside, including our five national parks
Among the largest investments in the Northern Powerhouse, high speed rail will connect the major economic hubs.
The included areas in the Northern Powerhouse in England are; Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Humber, Lancashire, Leeds City Region, Liverpool City Region, North East, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, York, North Yorkshire and East Riding. The 6 ‘core cities’ of the proposal are:
One of the most important aspects of the Northern Powerhouse is making more accessible transport infrastructure and connections between the northern towns and cities. By making these places more accessible, they will attract more tourism and trade, and business will be revolutionised.
There is still a gap in schooling between the North and South of England. Funding per pupil in the North is, on average, 65% lower than for a pupil in London still so one of the UK government’s aims it to close the gap in funding.
An aim to create a space where business can boom and a conglomerate of influential, intelligent, enthusiastic entrepreneurs invest in the cities. The Northern Powerhouse aims to become a major player on the world stage for investment and trade.
Manchester Airport received £1 billion investment in 2019 to improve international air links to the city and the North
Upgrading the motorway will increase the revenue stream into the North with a £1 billion boost to the economy. It will also alleviate the traffic pressure by cutting travel times by 20%.
For the first time in many years, there will be a direct train line between North Wales and Liverpool. As part of the Northern Powerhouse Partner Programme, high-speed trains will be introduced to northern railway lines. This will ensure that rapid economic growth in the area doesn’t lead to increased congestion on roads.
Intended to rejuvenate the south bank of the river, the first new bridge in 40 years will be built, opening the area up for development.
Creating smart motorways in Manchester will ease congestion and allow for smoother, easier travelling and a faster commute.
Smart motorways use variable speed limits and use the emergency lane as a running lane in order to ease congestion and make traffic run smoothly.
The M60 is infamous for traffic jams and delays
The introduction of new high-speed Azuma trains will revolutionise train journeys around the North and make the area accessible to all.
A new airport road in Manchester will lead to job creation while easing the stress on the city’s already crowded roads. This is estimated to provide a £2.5 billion boost to the Manchester economy, all while making residents’ lives easier.
A new link road introduced into the M18 will ease congestion and provide easy access to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Rossington and the iPort development.
To boost the country’s environmentally friendly transport solutions, a £16 million Government investment in creating safe and well-maintained cycling lanes will cut journey times and cut back on carbon emissions.
The rapid bus transport scheme of Pennine Reach improves the capabilities of public transport and links passengers with rail lines.
Upgrading roadways and motorways and repairing them will be paramount to reducing congestion and creating a simpler way of getting around the North.
With the booming and growing economy in the Northern Powerhouse, the world has taken note and recognises that the area is a viable investment opportunity. Some of the UK’s most successful businesses are based in the North, and partnerships with more than 300 businesses are resulting in job creation and a swell in the local economy.
Investors from across the globe are recognising the success of the Partner Programme in the Northern Powerhouse. The Partner Programme highlights businesses that are doing well, particularly those that are innovative in their environmentally friendly practices. There is also a push to make apprenticeships more accessible and to increase the number of them on offer.
The Northern Powerhouse Project is highlighting the importance of education in the North by taking into account that many of the top mathematics, science and engineering facilities are located in the North. With this in mind, the goal is to be at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution and showcase the brilliant minds that are in the North.
Business and civic leaders in the North are looking for places to base their companies where the cost of living is lower, including rent, is cheaper. This way, the price of the area does not impact the general income of the business. This is ideal for the region’s economy because it will mean that leaders can pay their workers a liveable wage without digging into profit.
By turning the Northern Powerhouse into the leading area in industrialisation and development, world economies will look to the North for the future. With plans to create a seamlessly integrated business district within the suburbs of the North, industries should run like fine-tuned machines, after which growth will be inevitable.
Manchester has seen drastic changes to its skyline over the past 20 years.
The concept of the Northern Powerhouse has been slated by many. Economists and scientists have said that the ideas are too grandiose to be attainable and sustainable. While the idea is undeniably great to create a support system for the North that empowers and enables unparalleled growth, there are many issues to be addressed too.
Equally problematic has been the rise of poverty as a result of the boom in the North. More children live in poverty now than they did before the Northern Powerhouse was proposed, and extreme numbers of working people were being paid below minimum wage.
So far, transport has taken a knock following the introduction of the Northern Powerhouse, and the high-speed railway system that should have made travel seamless has had more than double the number of late trains since the inception of the programme.
The economy has not grown at the same rate as the national average, particularly the South East and South West of England, which has been problematic for supporters of the system.
Finally, with development always comes concern for nature and how this growth will affect the ecosystem of that area. With increased production and industrialisation, many people have called into question the environmental impact of the boom and how the government plans to counteract this and prevent damage.
Gorilla Marketing are excited about the prospect of the Northern Powerhouse reaching its full potential. We have strategically created a presence in each of the ‘core cities’ – hoping to service the businesses that arise from the economic boom over the coming decades. Our presence in the Northern Powerhouse is detailed below:
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