POLITICS INSIDE
WESTMINSTER
Lee Rowley, MP for North East Derbyshire, on the vision for an improved transport network for the region’s businesses
Strategic network will reduce congestion and improve economic growth for the region
As recently as late January, the Centre for
Cities published a report that warned of the impact of further mechanisation in the workplace and identified Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, as the town in the UK most likely to suffer job losses as a consequence of automation and robotisation, although it didn’t make clear why. It said: “Artificial intelligence, automation and
other technological changes are among the biggest economic issues of our age. They featured in the opening remarks of the Chancellor’s 2017 Autumn Budget speech and are identified as one of the ‘Grand Challenges’ in the Government’s Industrial Strategy. “Politically, the continued fallout from the
2016 EU referendum and ever-increasing globalisation continue to dominate and divide urban Britain.” Centre for Cities found that it was cities with
relatively weak economies in the North that were vulnerable to job losses, with cities in the South at relatively less risk – but in concluding that Mansfield was most at risk, it included factories located well outside the town. Chris added: “There can be no doubt that
there are challenges ahead, some of which we can identify and some we can’t yet know about, but whatever they are and whenever they arrive, we have got to be ready for them and, hopefully, the first to recognise and react to them.”
CHAMBER CONFERENCE
The Chamber will be holding its annual Manufacturing and Engineering Conference at the Advanced Manufacturing Building, at the University of Nottingham, from 8am to 12.30pm on 28 March. Speakers include Juergen Maier, UK Chief Executive, Siemens UK and Naomi Clayton, Policy and Research Manager, Centre for Cities.
To book your place, visit
bit.ly/EMMEC
The Government’s recent decision to designate a major road network in the UK is one of those examples of announcements which have garnered little national press attention but have the potential to be a significant and important change on the ground in regions like ours. This proposal, currently under
consultation until mid-March, will create a strategic network of important local routes to support continued Government spending to reduce congestion and improve economic growth. From speaking with businesses and local Government leaders in Derbyshire, I know this has real potential if implemented properly. Vitally, it also creates real opportunities for the East Midlands to obtain a greater slice of that infrastructure spending in the future. As a relatively new MP, one of the biggest gripes I hear on a regular basis is the need
for greater spending on infrastructure, particularly roads and railways. While we have to be extremely cautious on Government spending until the deficit has been fully eliminated - where much progress has been made - we must also ensure new infrastructure is developed and existing roads upgraded to help businesses and commerce on a day-to- day basis. Nothing is more frustrating than poor transport links and growing congestion for businesses, of whatever size, that want to ensure their goods, employees and customers can get to where they need quickly and reliably. Much progress has been made on this in recent years. Spending on infrastructure in the
UK is heading towards three per cent of GDP with over £500bn due in the next few years. As a Midlands MP, I can see the commitment of the Government to ensuring areas like the East Midlands obtain their fair share. Proposals like the major road network will, therefore, be another step forward in creating a framework to draw-down some of that spend in the coming years. All of us have our own stories about roads that don’t work properly, about terrible
congestion or pinch-points which blight businesses across the region. In North East Derbyshire, the A61 has been hideously congested ever since I was growing up in North Derbyshire 20 years ago. It is just this kind of route which would benefit from a more strategic management approach and, we hope, from spending to reduce the congestion problems in the coming years. No Government will ever be able to end congestion but businesses want the
confidence to see that there is a rolling programme of interventions and mitigations across the road network. That is already underway but, with the proposals to designate the major road network, will take another step in the right direction.
ABOUT LEE ROWLEY Lee Rowley was elected the Conservative Member of Parliament for North East Derbyshire in June 2017. Prior to joining the House of Commons, Lee worked in business for 15 years in the energy, management consultancy and financial services sectors and most recently was Head of Change and Portfolio at the Co-op Insurance in Manchester. A graduate of the Universities of Oxford and Manchester, Lee recently joined the Public Accounts Committee, responsible for assessing spending and value for money across the public sector. His policy focuses are on infrastructure, energy, planning reform and public finances.
business network March 2018 39
‘One of the biggest gripes I hear on a regular basis is the need for greater spending on infrastructure, particularly roads and railways’
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