Northern Engagement
Team
Who’s Who in Yorkshire and the Humber
14 March 2013
Margaret Jackson
DfT Northern Engagement Team
Who we are?
DfT has three teams who lead the Department’s work with local
transport authorities, LEPs and other local bodies:
• Northern (5 Staff based in Leeds & covering YH, NE and NW)
• Midlands and South West Hub (4 Staff based in Birmingham &
covering WM, EM and SW)
• South East and East Hub (3 Staff based in London & covering SE
and East)
What we are and what we can do
• We are part of DfT ‘central’ team and sit within Local Transport
Directorate.
• We are local authorities’ first point of contact with the Department,
and aim to:
– Translate and explain Departmental and Government policy
– Maintain a good understanding of the transport issues in our
regions and feed this into Departmental policies and
programmes
– Help partners navigate through the structures and processes
within DfT (including its funding mechanisms)
– Help facilitate solutions to problems.
What are our priorities?
• Work with local authorities and LEPs to facilitate growth through
investment in transport infrastructure, such as Sheffield Bus Rapid
Transit, tackling congestion through Pinchpoint schemes and
supporting initiatives like Enterprise Zones, City Deals, RGF and
Growing Places Fund.
• Devolving funding and responsibilities to the local level, through the
devolution of major scheme funding, rail franchise devolution.
• Supporting the delivery of High Speed Rail
• Working with local authorities and PTEs to develop more
sustainable transport, eg Local Sustainable Transport Fund, Better
Bus Areas, cycling investment.
Recent Transport Investment
• In 2011, the Government announced £155m funding for 10 local
major transport schemes in Y&H – more schemes than in any other
region…
• … as well as the electrification of the north-Transpennine route
between Manchester and York via Leeds.
• In 2012, Ministers awarded funding of over £50m LST funding to a
range of large and small projects across Yorkshire and the Humber
to develop sustainable transport solutions.
• The 2012 Budget included £130m for ‘Northern Hub’ schemes to
increase capacity and line speed on the Sheffield–Manchester line
and increase line speed on the Manchester–Bradford via Halifax
line.
Recent Transport Investment
• Humber Bridge Review – The write-down of the debt by £150m by
the Government allowed the tolls for cars to be halved (from £3.00 to
£1.50) from 1 April 2012
• On 5 July 2012, Ministers announced £173.5m for the Leeds New
Generation Transport Scheme (NGT), the first modern trolleybus
scheme in the UK.
• Autumn Statement 2012 included £314m for the A1 Leeming to
Barton scheme, £170m for local ‘pinchpoint’ schemes, and an extra
£100m for schemes on the strategic road network
• At the end of 2012, we also saw significant investment of £62m
announced for cycling infrastructure improvements.
Contacts in the Northern Team
Margaret Jackson – Head of Team,
0113 283 6677, margaret.jackson@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Richard Perry – Deputy Head, North West
0113 283 4776 (richard.perry@dft.gsi.gov.uk)
Mark Duggleby – West and North Yorkshire, Hull and East Riding
0113 283 5811, (mark.duggleby@dft.gsi.gov.uk)
Helen Gorner – South Yorkshire, N Lincs and NE Lincs
0113 283 6554, (helen.gorner@dft.gsi.gov.uk)
Christine Staley – Team Admin
0113 2836559, (christine.staley@dft.gsi.gov.uk)