New plans could decarbonise transport and bring economic growth to South East

Transport for the South East (TfSE) has released a £45bn plan to decarbonise transport systems, level-up and bring sustainable economic growth to the South East.

A 12-week consultation has now been launched to review the plan which received input from local authorities, local enterprise partners (LEPs), national parks and representatives from National Highways, Network Rail and Transport for London.

The strategy, which would see £45bn of capital spent over 27 years, is predicted to generate 21,000 jobs and £4.1bn growth in Gross Value Added a year by 2050.

It’s also estimated the plan could lead to 550,000 additional rail trips a day and 1.6 million bus, mass transit and ferry trips a day, taking up to four million cars off roads in the South East.

Cllr Eamonn Keogh, Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration at Southampton City Council, said: ‘TfSE’s plans are ambitious and would completely transform the way we all travel around the region. We are committed to establishing Southampton as a City of Opportunity, where residents, workers and visitors can enjoy the many benefits that these plans would deliver.

‘Investing in these plans would significantly reduce the air pollution caused by private cars, create thousands of new jobs that would enhance the local economy, and provide much easier and cleaner ways to travel for years to come.’

TfSE has worked with partners to identify issues, challenges and opportunities within the transport system and has identified a need for greater connectivity between economic hubs and international gateways.

The plan will also work to make transport more resilient and reliable, so it can cope better in extreme weather or when major incidents occur, as well as aim to decarbonise the system.

In related news, collaborative Mobility UK has called on local authorities to encourage citizens to abandon their vehicles and move to alternative, greener travel. 

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