- Scott Benton has welcomed that projects across the North West will receive £350 million of new funding as part of the second round of the Conservative Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
- The funding, which is part of a £2.1 billion investment in more than 100 projects across the UK, will see money going towards improving facilities and infrastructure across the region – including a new Eden Project in Morecambe, upgrades to bridges, bus services, and cycle lanes across Lancashire, and regenerating parks in Preston.
- This funding from the Conservative Government will help to revitalise local communities and make travel easier for those living in the North West.
Scott Benton has welcomed new investment from the Conservative Government of £350 million to improve infrastructure and cultural projects in the North West, as part of the second round of the Levelling Up Fund.
The Fund – which was announced by the Conservatives in 2020 – helps to upgrade and improve infrastructure such as bridges and bus lanes, improving the everyday lives of residents. It can also be used to develop town centres and build new facilities, helping local businesses to thrive, bringing new skills and jobs to regions, and revitalising pride in communities that have been historically overlooked.
Included in the newly announced funding are improvements to bus services across Lancashire, which will see real time passenger information displayed at bus stops the first time, accessibility upgrades to train stations, and new walking and cycling infrastructure to promote active travel.
Major parks across Preston will be regenerated, providing higher quality and more accessible sporting, community, and heritage sites. A new educational campus in Blackpool will also be built, helping to promote higher-level skills in areas such as automation and artificial intelligence.
The announcement also confirms that Government’s backing of the Eden Project North, based at Morecambe Bay. This site will become a new world class cultural and tourism destination with inter-connecting garden and horticultural exhibitions. It will attract 740,000 new visitors to the region each year, directly creating 240 jobs and creating many more in local supply chains.
The first round of the Levelling Up Fund was announced in October 2021 and saw an investment of £1.7 billion for projects across the UK.
In the North West, this included improvements to infrastructure in the Liverpool City Region, building Bolton’s new College of Medical Science, developing Bury Market’s FlexiHall, improving accessibility at Burnley Railways, and redeveloping town centres in Barrow-In-Furness and Pendle.
And thanks to today’s announcement, more communities across the North West will receive the support they need to thrive, driving forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by levelling up.
Commenting, Scott Benton said:
“This Government is committed to improving the lives of everyone who lives in the North West – which means improving the communities in which they live and making their day to day life easier.
“That is why I am delighted to welcome the new investment of £350 million to the North West. This is part of a £2.1 billion investment across the country to build new facilities, upgrade infrastructure, and restore pride in our communities.
“This investment is helping to ensure that communities that have historically been overlooked are getting the funding and attention they deserve – and I welcome the Government’s commitment to this.”
Commenting, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said:
“We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects, in every corner of the UK, that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
“This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.”
