Face of Nation : In a speech in Manchester he gave his backing to the trans-Pennine transport link to “turbo-charge the economy”. Standing in front of Stephenson’s Rocket he said mass transport systems enabled people to prosper.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he wanted “to see real action now to back up the prime minister’s words”. Mr Johnson said the full details of the Leeds-Manchester route would be published in the autumn following the review into HS2.
An audience of about 100 people gathered at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester to listen to Mr Johnson’s speech. The prime minister set out the four “ingredients” for the success of the UK as liveability, connectivity, culture, and power and responsibility.
He said this meant areas having great public services, enough affordable homes, safe streets, fast broadband, and more responsibility and accountability for local areas. He added: “We are going to give greater powers to council leaders and communities.
“We are going to level up the powers offered to mayors so more people can benefit from the kind of local structures seen in London and here in Manchester.” Mr Johnson said young people growing up “a few miles away” from the centre of Manchester had felt “hopelessness, or the hope that one day they will get out and never come back”.
“The crucial point is it certainly isn’t really the fault of the places, and certainly isn’t the fault of the people growing up there,” he said. “They haven’t failed. It’s we, us, the politicians, our politics has failed them.”
The Northern Powerhouse rail project was part of Mr Johnson’s wider commitment to deliver a high-speed railway link across the north of England, which would cost about £39bn.
Mr Burnham said what he heard from the prime minister “certainly sounded good” but warned he heard “something very similar in almost the same spot from [then Chancellor] George Osborne five years ago and, in those five years, rail services here have gone in reverse”. The mayor added: “The focus on buses too and a London-style transport system for Greater Manchester sounded very good to me but we will have to see real action now to back up the prime minister’s words.
National Infrastructure Commission chairman Sir John Armitt said: “The PM’s decision today must be integrated with plans for HS2, and matched with devolved funding and powers for city leaders in the North – as set out in our National Infrastructure Assessment.” Mr Johnson wore a badge saying “Northern Powerhouse” during the speech.
