July Budget 2015: Northern Powerhouse boost as George Osborne promises “seamless Oyster-style” ticket system for travel across region
Chancellor George Osborne promised to put the “power into the Northern Powerhouse” as he presented his Summer Budget today, presenting a promise that is sure to cheer commuters.
Train travel in the north of England is about to get a “seamless Oyster-style” ticketing system across the region (and yes, pun-happy tweeters have already coined the term “Noyster card”).
Transport for the North has been created to improve connections between northern cities, and £30m is to be set aside for the body. Osborne's Northern Powerhouse project will also be devolving further powers to Manchester, including fire services, children services and employment programmes. Similar devolution is also in the works for Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Osborne called this “historic” levels of devolution, and commented that devolution within England has only just begun.