Rachel Reeves Pledges £15.6bn Transport Boost for UK Cities Outside London

British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves has announced a £15.6 billion investment to improve transport infrastructure outside London, focusing on trams, trains, and buses in regions including West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, and Tyne and Wear. A significant portion of this funding, £2.1 billion, is allocated to begin construction of West Yorkshire's Mass Transit network, which will reintroduce trams connecting Leeds and Bradford by 2028. The investment also includes support for Greater Manchester's Bee Network and a new rail link between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly, a project expected to boost the northern economy by generating £90 billion and supporting the creation of 40,000 jobs by 2050. This infrastructure push is part of a broader £113 billion capital investment plan aimed at revitalizing regions struggling with inadequate services and countering rising support for opposition parties like Reform UK. The spending review reflects a commitment to capital investment as a key government narrative to address public discontent and spur economic growth in key urban centers. Despite political challenges within the Labour government, the transportation funding is positioned as a tangible step toward regional regeneration and better connectivity.