LONDON, Oct 23, 2021 (BSS/AFP) - Britain's upcoming budget will invest
almost œ7.0 billion ($9.6 billion, 8.3 billion euros) on transport outside
London, the Treasury said on Saturday, as part of plans to cut economic
inequality.

  Finance minister Rishi Sunak will unveil the transport initiative during
his autumn budget and spending review due on Wednesday.

  Prime Minister Boris Johnson's so-called "levelling up" programme is seen
as vital to keeping voters in former strongholds of the main opposition
Labour party who backed him in the 2019 general election.

  His Conservative party won a swathe of seats in northern England on a
promise to deliver Britain's Brexit divorce from the European Union, as well
as boost jobs and growth.

  Recipients of the transport project cash include regions in the former
Labour "red wall" that turned Tory blue two years ago and will be seen as
payback for their support.

  According to the finance ministry, the government will invest œ5.7 billion
in city regions to boost productivity via train and station upgrades, and
tram network expansion.

  It will also inject œ1.2 billion into overhauling bus services.

  The government wants to quicken journey times, simplify fares and increase
services outside London, after repeated complaints that regions outside the
British capital were ill-served by transport links, affecting business.

  "Great cities need great transport and that is why we're investing billions
to improve connections in our city regions as we level up opportunities
across the country," said Sunak in the statement.

  "This transport revolution will help redress that imbalance as we modernise
our local transport networks so they are fit for our great cities and those
people who live and work in them."

  Transport policy is set separately in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
by the nations' devolved administrations in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

  The government said the extra investment for England would mean additional
cash for the three other UK nations under weighted public expenditure
adjustments.

  Chancellor of the Exchequer Sunak will also announce the latest growth
forecasts for the economy, which is battling high inflation due largely to
surging energy prices and a supply chain crisis that was sparked by Brexit
and Covid.