Approximately £120m transport cash for North East Lincolnshire will help progress Grimsby transport hub and bus station plans.
That is the verdict of Conservative council leader Cllr Philip Jackson, as half a billion pounds was announced for local transport across Lincolnshire. North and North East Lincolnshire are each getting a little under £120m each to decide what to spend on in 2025-2032.
The investment is cash reused from the cancellation of HS2’s second leg, up to Manchester. Opposition groups in northern Lincolnshire have largely welcomed the announcement.
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“This is a fantastic amount of money, more than we would have ever got from a Labour government” claimed council leader Cllr Jackson, on the £119,726,000 awarded to the local authority.
He said it would be “transformational” for Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham. “This will mean we will be able to prioritise the new transport hub in Grimsby town centre and have a proper bus station again,” he said. The council has previously bought vacant units along Osborne Street with this in mind. It bid unsuccessfully for £20m Levelling Up cash specifically for this last year.
Cllr Jackson said the bus station will “only be a small part of the improvements we will be able to bring about for our area”, adding he felt it showed the current government’s commitment to levelling up. North Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Rob Waltham said: “This will have a major impact on our communities and shows the decision to scrap HS2 and divert to improve areas like ours was the right one.
(Image: Deputy PM’s office)
“It will make journeys quicker, support public transport and improve the road network.” He did not cite any specific projects the £118,179,000 for his local authority the cash could go on.
What do opposition groups say?
Labour‘s shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh MP said local people are tired of being taken for fools by the Conservative government. “Only the Conservatives could have the brass neck to promise yet another ‘transformation’ of transport infrastructure in the midlands and north after fourteen years of countless broken promises to do just that.”
She said Labour would reform public transport by giving every community the power to demand London-style services, via public ownership of the railways, and taking back control of buses.
Grimsby and Cleethorpes Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Nicola Aisthorpe said: “This investment presents a significant opportunity to finally improve and address transportation needs that matter most to our community. Therefore, we urge the Conservative administration to truly listen to the voices of local people to ensure this opportunity is maximised in line with what residents truly want, and not squandered as we’ve seen on so many other occasions.
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“It’s disappointing that the government has historically underinvested in the essential aspect of transportation in our area, leaving North East Lincolnshire lagging behind. For instance, in the East Marsh Ward I represent, we only have a small handful of random cycle lanes, with one even traveling over a stepped bridge, highlighting the urgent need for more comprehensive cycling infrastructure development.”
She said residents consistently told her they wanted to see more green initiatives, like connected cycle lanes. “As we approach a general election, perhaps there’s hope that our borough will witness an increase in funding opportunities thrown our way, after so many years of neglect and hardships put on local people and our communities. Time will tell.”
“Getting up and down the country is a challenge but less so than going from side to side and getting around our towns,” said Independents for North East Lincolnshire Cllr Paul Henderson, who welcomed it. “It is so difficult to build business across Yorkshire, by rail, for example. HS2 carried no benefits for us, so it’s great to see a genuine investment in things that matter more locally. The thought of yet another consultation driven by loaded questions and falling on deaf ears though, worries me. As much as the prospect of North East Lincolnshire Council developing a significant strategy to deliver a portfolio of large capital projects, given the current track record. Any investment is welcome but we need to use it very wisely.”
(Image: Donna Clifford /Grimsby Live)
Fellow Independents for North East Lincolnshire Cllr Lyndsey Downes described it as a “drop in the ocean” compared to the total cost of the cancelled HS2 leg. “Is it enough money for what’s needed is my query,” she said, adding it was “better than a kick in the teeth”.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
