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Long-term fertiliser contract to aid continued growth for ABP and Thomas Bell

2025-03-28 00:16:32 By

Simon Bird, ABP Humber regional director, left, with Andrew Major, managing director of Thomas Bell & Sons.

A new long-term agreement has been signed between ABP and the UK’s largest privately-owned fertiliser importer, Thomas Bell & Sons.

A further eight years have been added to the existing contract focusing on operations at Port of Immingham, taking the Brigg-headquartered importer beyond its 150th anniversary.

The company’s Diamond brand is delivered directly to the farm gate from the extensive base on Immingham Bulk Park, where dedicated faciities encompass some 400,000 sq ft.

Simon Bird, ABP’s regional director for the Humber, said: “We are delighted to have secured this new deal with Thomas Bell, one of our successful long-standing fertiliser customers.

“The Port of Immingham plays an important role in the supply of fertiliser to our farmers, and we handle large volumes in order to support the British farming industry.”

The agreement comes just weeks after ABP welcomed long term customer ADM Agriculture’s fertiliser division to the Humber.

The Lincolnshire-based element of the global business, which bought out Gleadell Agriculture pre-pandemic, is one of the largest fertiliser suppliers in the UK. It has signed a three-year extension agreement for the import, handling, bagging, and processing of crop-boosting nutrients at the same facility.

Thomas Bell and Sons, an £88 million turnover firm employing 50 direct staff, has been importing fertilisers for more than half a century, having diversified from its roots as a Lincolnshire agricultural miller and grain merchant. First imports were overseen in 1970, leading to an expansion of its transport fleet, with blending operations added to the South Humber Bank port in 2017.

Andrew Major, managing director, said: “We are very pleased to announce a new, long term service agreement with ABP at our Immingham operation. With the continued investment from both partners this contract will enable us to increase our volumes while keeping our level of service and safety at the highest levels.”

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Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

ABP and Harbour Energy partner to provide CO2 import gateway at Immingham for South Humber CCS plans

Shipping captured carbon into the Humber’s emerging storage facilities - making Immingham the 'epi-centre of the UK's decarbonisation agenda' - has taken a major step forward. An exclusive commercial relationship to develop a CO2 import terminal at Port of Immingham has been entered into by ABP and Harbour Energy, providing large-scale facilities to handle industrial emissions from other locations. Industrial bases elsewhere in the UK - and potentially mainland Europe - will be able to feed into the Viking CCS project, recently renamed from V Net Zero. A new jetty to service the import and export of liquid bulks has already been flagged by ABP, with the agreement with Air Products to support hydrogen production announced in August. In addition to handling green ammonia, the jetty is being designed to import liquified CO2 cargoes and will connect to the transport and storage sites. Read more: Humber vision 'has the world's attention' as investors pore over £15b pipeline ABP joins West Burton Energy, Phillips 66 and VPI as a partner to the network, which is targeting first CO2 capture as early as 2027 and a reduction of 10 million tonnes of UK emissions per annum by 2030. Steve Cox, executive vice president for health, safety, environment, security and global services at Harbour Energy, said: “We are delighted to welcome Associated British Ports as a partner to the Viking CCS network through their investment in the Port of Immingham. “ABP’s dual-purpose jetty will support the reduction in the UK’s emissions and, critically, amplifies the Viking CCS network’s potential to provide a viable solution for stranded CO2 emissions from companies across the UK.” The multi-million pound addition is described as a project to help drive inward investment to the Humber and wider Lincolnshire regions, creating jobs and safeguarding existing industrial roles across the UK. Construction of the jetty is expected to begin in late 2024 with the plan to be operational and ready to receive first cargoes of CO2 imports from as early as 2027. Port of Immingham is a liquid bulk specialist, serving refineries and other markets for import and export. The large South Humber Bank estate features extensive storage. Henrik Pedersen, ABP’s chief executive, said: “We look forward to working with Harbour Energy to deliver this project, which represents a critical step in further strengthening the Port of Immingham’s position at the epicentre of the UK decarbonisation agenda. “Our ports on the Humber already play a vital role in supporting the UK’s energy transition, with involvement in a wide range of renewable energy projects such as offshore wind at Green Port Hull and the development of large-scale green hydrogen production in Immingham. We are also making significant investments to support the renewable energy transformation of Port Talbot to help deliver the UK’s ambition for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.” Read next: West Burton partners with Harbour Energy's Humber carbon capture and storage project £15b project pipeline should make the Humber region the world's beacon for Net Zero industry Waterline Summit 'creates shared vision' for Humber's evolution to climate change challenge leader Humber freeport looks to anchor investment zone status across all sites

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

£10m crane investment on its way to Port of Immingham

A £10 million investment in cargo-handling equipment is on its way to Immingham. Engineers from Associated British Ports have just returned from Germany where they have carried out final factory acceptance testing on three new mobile harbour cranes. The hybrid Liebherr 420s will be arriving later this month from Rostock, at a cost £9.7 million, with an additional £500,000 spent on new grabs. The diesel generators poweing them can run on hydrogenated vegetable oil, with the option to switch to all-electric, reducing CO2 emissions as the port accelerates its green credentials. Read more:ABP and Harbour Energy partner to provide CO2 import gateway at Immingham Simon Bird, ABP regional director, had outlined a £30 million spend on equipment earlier this year. The order represents the largest shipment by the manufacturer to the UK. He said: “This is another great investment in the port. It offers our customers a range of equipment, these being specially optimised for vessels in the post-panamax class. “It’s part of our wider strategy investment in future-proofing the Humber ports and giving our customers the confidence that the ports remain resilient, and we are giving them what they need in having reliable and efficient cranage.” They are described as offering greater versatility, being able to be deployed on any quay, though primarily they will be used for bulk cargo and scrap handling. They have a 124-tonne lifting capability, and offer greater safety improvements in the driver’s cab.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Belfast proves a strong draw for cruise ships with near-record visits this year

Belfast’s cruise sector has recovered strongly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic with 141 ships calling in the city during this year’s season. That is just shy of the record of 146 set in 2019 and represents 50 different ships from some 33 cruise lines, including 18 making their first visit to the city. They carried more than 250,000 visitors. The result is a far cry from 2020 when a scheduled 129 ships due to call at the port were cancelled by the pandemic. It is also a big jump on the 70 which visited the city in 2021 as the sector embarked on a cautious return to normality. The strong performance this year is testament to Northern Ireland’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, Cruise Belfast, a partnership between Belfast Harbour and Visit Belfast, said. “With our visitor numbers increasing again following the pandemic, this cruise season has been as runaway success as we welcomed both international and first-time visitors to Northern Ireland,” Mary Jo McCanny, Director of Visitor Servicing at Visit Belfast, said. “Belfast has built a strong reputation as a welcoming and exciting cruise destination and this busy season is reflective of the strong working relationships that Cruise Belfast has with global cruise operators.” Amongst the ships making their first visit to Belfast were the ‘Enchanted Princess’ and ‘Island Princess’ from Princess Cruises and the ‘Ambassador Ambience’ from Ambassador, a new British cruise line. Returning ships included the ‘Disney Magic’ which arrived with some 2,700 passengers and crew on board.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

£10m port expansion as PD and Barrett agree new steel deal

A £10 million port investment is being made to handle steel distribution in northern Lincolnshire. PD Ports is close to completing a dedicated new 200,000 sq ft site at its Groveport facility on the River Trent. It will support long-term customer Barrett Steel as it grows its market share, and signifies the start of a new contract that will take the partnership to 2040 and beyond. The new facility, launching early next year, will support the expansion of Barrett’s footprint on the Humber, and will be further enhanced with additional investment from the port operator to double the size of its transport fleet. It is a move described as strengthening Barrett’s national distribution network, allowing for just-in-time deliveries to be made across the UK. Read more: Hull blade plant boss has his say on Siemens Energy buy-out deal It is PD’s largest investment on the Humber in decades, with the 190-acre site between Gunness and Flixborough, on the outskirts of Scunthorpe, its largest location in the region. Geoff Lippitt, chief commercial officer, said: “The new Barrett Steel facility is a huge milestone for PD Ports at Groveport. This marks the largest single piece of investment in the site since we first acquired it back in 2015 and demonstrates our intentions to position Groveport as the UK’s leading steel handling hub for steel sourced both domestically and internationally.” The state-of-the-art warehouse has also been instrumental for both parties in continuing to realise their shared sustainability targets - it is the first building in the UK to be constructed in ‘XCarb’ steel – steel made using 100 per cent recycled content and 100 per cent renewable energy – supplied by fellow PD Ports customer, ArcelorMittal. The new build is also primed to welcome solar panels in the future. Mr Lippitt said: “As a business, we are constantly striving to reduce our industrial impact on the environment and have ambitious decarbonisation targets to reach net zero. This innovative warehouse is a fantastic example of how we can utilise lower carbon materials in order to reduce emissions across the supply chain.” Barrett Steel, a sixth generation Bradford-headquartered operation, has been a leading steel stockholder and processor for more than 150 years. With over 30 sites nationwide, it describes the new facility as “a huge mark of intention” for it to remain at the forefront of the UK steel industry. Guy Barrett, group purchasing director, said: “This new facility will increase our capacity and ability to offer a just in time solution for steel fabricators across the UK. Being able to deliver the project using a low embodied carbon, the first of its kind in the UK, not only demonstrates our commitment to our own net zero goals but also showcases a tangible solution to the questions around sustainability currently facing the industry. “We are delighted to be continuing our longstanding relationship with PD Ports on this ground-breaking project.” Barrett had taken on several steel distribution centres from British Steel, following its acquisition by Jingye Group, while PD also made a multi-million pound investment at Groveport for All Steels Trading, another long-serving customer, just before the Covid pandemic outbreak.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Fuel distributor buy-out unites North Yorkshire family businesses

Northern Energy has swooped for fellow North Yorkshire heating and fuel oil supplier Kettlewell Fuels. The Harrogate-based business, celebrating its 90th anniversary, has taken on the 35-year-old family-owned firm in an undisclosed deal. Operating from Melmerby, near Ripon, Kettlewell served domestic, agricultural and commercial customers across the region. Described as a strategic acquisition, it will support Northern’s growth ambitions as the fifth generation business looks towards its centenary. Kettlewell is a partner within Phillips 66's Jet fuel brand distribution network, with fuels produced at the Humber Refinery. Read more: Holiday home demand and high oil prices see Rix revenues rise 42 per cent Stuart Illingworth, Northern Energy’s managing director, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Kettlewell Fuels, a business that has been built on strong family values like our own. With the existing team we will continue to deliver the same unbeatable service to which Kettlewell Fuels’ customers have become accustomed. Together, the future looks very exciting.” A member of the UK & Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA), the 11-employee business has built an “enviable brand based on its excellent customer service” according to those overseeing the deal. Janet and Trevor Kettlewell, managing shareholders of Kettlewell Fuels - who completed a management buy-out in April last year - said: “For over three decades, we have been supported by a loyal and dedicated team and we are very proud of what the business has achieved. We believe Northern Energy will sustain our legacy and we are leaving the business in great hands. We would like to thank our fantastic team, customers, and suppliers for their support over the years.” They praised professional advisors Azets and Schofield Sweeney for their help to “navigate and negotiate the sale”. Rob Burton, Corporate Finance Partner at Azets, was supported by Richard Weston. David Strachan, Partner and Jack Venable of Schofield Sweeney. Mr Burton, corporate finance partner at Azets, said: “This is a fantastic deal for everyone involved and it is always rewarding to see a strong family business secure its legacy having sold to an ambitious buyer like Northern Energy which is in a fantastic position to take Kettlewell Fuels from strength to strength. This deal demonstrates the vibrant business environment in Yorkshire and the importance of independent family firms, which are the backbone of the Yorkshire economy.” Northern’s corporate finance advice was provided by a team led by James White from Brown Butler. Philip Ashworth and Nicole Waldron of Andrew Jackson Solicitors in York provided legal advice. Read next: £850k funding package allows Cobra Sport to put its foot down on site expansion plans Global logistics operator reports strong growth from Hull base Energy independence at the core of Libbi - the home battery that is Myenergi's latest eco-tech development £4m funding boost for East Yorkshire alternative lender to aid SMEs

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Nottingham must do more to become first carbon-neutral city in England by 2028, say property experts

More must be done if Nottingham is to achieve its aim of becoming the first carbon-neutral city in England by 2028 – including refurbishing existing buildings rather than putting up new ones. That was the conclusion of a panel of property and construction experts who took part in a Simplify Sustainability’ roundtable organised in the city by construction giant Willmott Dixon. The 14-strong panel discussed a range of issues, concluding that greater collaboration, sharing common standards and clearer guidance were needed to make the grade. Only this week Nottingham City Council’s leaders said 10 years of Workplace Parking Levies had already played a key part in putting the brakes on congestion and CO2 emissions and pumped millions into sustainable transport. The panel included Joanne Murray, executive consultant at property and construction consultants Gleeds, who said it was often hard to come up with the right solution when trying to balance the needs of clients and the climate agenda. She said: “It’s important to remember that – as an industry – we are providing solutions for opposing client priorities, such as sustainable development and low-cost housing for example. “This makes it very difficult for all organisations to be working towards carbon neutrality at the same pace. “With this challenge in mind, engagement with the public sector and across the private sector is critical. “Professionals must use their voice though and not be afraid of being held accountable. “Sometimes all that’s needed is the courage to say we don’t need that new building and the expertise to share a refurbishment plan.” Nick Gibb, deputy managing director for the Midlands at Willmott Dixon, said: “In Nottingham, ambitious plans to become the first carbon-neutral city in England fill us with excitement and belief that those with influence have their priorities in the right place. “That said, as an industry, design and build capability will only go so far and while we’re doing everything we can to combine the efforts of different disciplines, one of the most important takeaways from our recent roundtable was that there is a definitive performance gap with new buildings. “The public and private sectors need to come together and lead the way in educating on energy usage. “While influential institutions like colleges and universities can create holistic estates strategies to ensure their building stock is performing as efficiently as possible, it’s imperative that they do so now and not later. “Meanwhile, the construction industry needs to rewrite the rule book and ensure that everything we hand over is above and beyond the current standards – which can definitely go further.” Umesh Desai, director of estates at Nottingham Trent University, said: “I think that one of the challenges of estates management, in relation to sustainability, is the ever-changing needs of users. “At the university, we’re proud to offer state-of-the-art facilities to our students and have a mix of new and existing buildings, but the way forward must be focussed on showing that fit-for-purpose and sustainable is more important than fit-for-purpose and eye-catching.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Direct flights to Esbjerg secured for Humberside as Eastern Airways lands double delight

Eastern Airways has landed a dual boost at Humberside Airport with new services for business and leisure. The resident airline is to launch a regular direct flight to Esbjerg in Denmark to support the offshore wind and maritime industries next month, while its Newquay departures will be doubled for the 2023 summer season. Its Jersey schedule also returns, in what is described as a major investment in the Kirmington base. A three-weekly service to the Danish wind energy epicentre will provide a vital link for the burgeoning renewable sector on the Humber, with Orsted and Siemens Gamesa having interests in both areas. It will launch on December 14, with year-round flights on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and follows corporate charter work on the route. Read more:Hull blade plant boss has his say on Siemend Energy buy-out proposal Roger Hage, commercial director at Eastern Airways, said: “This is a major dual development for the Humber region as we join the UK centre for renewable energy with Esbjerg. The renewable energy sector is fundamental to the employment and growth in the Humber as the Energy Estuary. With so many key renewable sector companies and an increasing focus on clean-tech energy self-sufficiency in the UK and Denmark, the increasing need to connect the investment, skills and expertise of the regions have never been greater. With Billund little more than an hour from Esbjerg, Legoland and various high-quality leisure destinations in the Syddanmark region of Southern Denmark, we know Denmark will appeal widely given its rich history with the Humber ports region. “Adding to the further investment in operations, crew and infrastructure to support new destination of Esbjerg, we have also doubled the frequency of the Newquay-Cornwall service, improving the access to the UK staycation destination of choice. We are also extending the length of operating season to the popular Channel Island destination of Jersey from Humberside Airport in conjunction with our primary partner Premier Holidays. “We want to ensure the right services are being offered given Eastern Airways is all about supporting the regions of the UK, connecting people and places, so growing our Humberside network and capacity is a crucial part of increasing connectivity and aiding economic recovery where sustainable.” Eastern will operate the mix of new and increased services on one of its fleet of 72-seat ATR or 29-seat BAe Jetstream 41, both offering one of the lowest fuel-burn and emissions in the market. This has included operating on sustainable aviation fuel, another string to the area’s decarbonisation role. Deborah Zost, managing director at Humberside Airport said: “This is excellent news for the airport, local businesses and leisure travellers. The route to Esbjerg is a significant step for the Humber, giving the UK’s Energy Estuary a new, direct and year-round link to this increasingly important renewable energy hub. And more flights to Cornwall over the summer will be warmly welcomed by holidaymakers and businesses alike.” It comes just days after the last flights left Doncaster Sheffield, following the abrupt closure by Peel Group, leaving Humberside and Leeds Bradford as the only operational airports in the region. Scandinavian Airlines had launched a service between Humberside and Copenhagen, the Danish capital, in late 2013, but it was pulled the following April due to lower than anticipated demand. The maiden flight was also cancelled due to adverse weather. In almost a decade huge strides have been made, with Race Bank and the Hornsea Zone, as well as the Hull blade plant all coming online, and more to come. British Airways partner Sun-Air had also stepped in with Aalborg and Billund as destinations in early 2016. Susanne Kruse Sørensen, managing director of Esbjerg Airport, added: “Eastern Airways has been a long-standing partner on this city-pair. The airline already operated corporate charter flights between Esbjerg and Humberside during the last years. The wind energy and maritime sectors are particularly asking for a direct route to ease crew changes and staff deployment on wind farms. Moving to a scheduled route is the logical way to improve service for customers. We are really looking forward to welcoming Eastern Airways in Esbjerg." Ever present since launching with the Aberdeen service in 1997 - carrying North Sea oil and gas workers - Eastern will now serve five destinations from Humberside at peak. Camilla Carlbom Flinn, director of cluster organisation Humber Marine & Renewables, of which Eastern Airways is the latest member, said: “The investment from Eastern Airways is brilliant news for the region’s business connectivity and indicative of the vibrance of the renewables sector. We are delighted that they have joined Humber Marine & Renewables and we expect that our members will enjoy the convenience of this new service to Esbjerg. We wish them every success in this exciting new venture.” Eastern has also announced a new daily East Midlands to Newquay service, complementing the increase to its year-round three-times daily London Gatwick to Newquay service, plus an increase in Newcastle to Aberdeen to twice daily, among various capacity and frequency increases around the network.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

30 jobs being created with £2m expansion by Derbyshire drinks business Global Brands

A soft drinks, spirits and beer company and distributor is set to create 30 jobs with the first phase of a £2 million expansion at its Derbyshire hub. Global Brands is expanding the facility from 152,000 sq ft of warehouse space to 180,800 sq ft. The site, in Clay Cross, just south of Chesterfield, already employs 80 people. Management said the work follows increased demand for the group’s products and work will be completed in January. It will increase storage capacity from 30 million bottles to 40 million bottles, across 17,000 pallets. Global Brands is an independent drinks distributor which launched in 1997. Its brands include VK, Hooch, Hooper’s, Franklin & Sons premium soft drinks, sodas and tonics, and Amigos Tequila Beer. Most recent results, filed at Companies House, for Global Brands Ltd, show sales of £66.6 million in the year to September 30, 2021, from £59.8 million a year earlier. Pre-tax profits were up from £5.1 million to £6.5 million. Following extensive groundworks, the steel frame is being erected over the next two months, and a concrete slab base will then be poured and set. The development covers 2.2 areas. Global Brands chairman Steve Perez said: “I’m thrilled to announce the expansion of our distribution facilities in Clay Cross, following a sustained increase in demand nationally and huge demand internationally for our key growth brands like Franklin & Sons. “The new extension will support our growing operations with additional storage and increased distribution capabilities. “This is just the first phase in work to continue increasing capabilities at the site over the next two years. “We plan to continue investing in our Global Brands Distribution Centre to the point where we can eventually hold one product for every person in the UK.” Global Brands recently bought a neighbouring piece of land for further facilities in a deal brokered by BRM Solicitors. Adrian Sheehan, executive director at BRM, said: “It is always rewarding to advise on a deal which will bring further development opportunities and employment to the region. “BRM are proud to stand to shoulder to shoulder with this long-standing client and Chesterfield success story. “It is great to see Global Brands go from strength to strength and highlights a commitment to Chesterfield. “The Real Estate team at BRM are delighted to advise Steve and the team at Global, who are always driven and enthusiastic to get deals done quickly and efficiently.” Mr Perez said: “BRM have advised Global Brands for the past 35 years, from when the business was just a one-man band, through to becoming one of the largest employers in the area.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Amazon says it has invested more than £3bn into East Midlands since 2010 and created 8,000 jobs

Retail giant Amazon says it has invested more than £3 billion into the East Midlands in a little over a decade. According to a new in-house report the global retailer said since 2010 its investment had contributed an estimated £3.1 billion to the region’s GDP and created 8,000 jobs with 200 apprenticeships. It said across the region more than 6,000 SMEs had worked in partnership with the business since 2010, recording more than £190 million in exports. Breaking the figures down, Amazon said it had put £1.2 billion into its logistics network and warehouses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, along with £1.7 billion into Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. It has put smaller investment into Lincolnshire. Nationally the US company said it had put £43 billion into the UK since 2010 and created 75,000 jobs, contributing an estimated £36 billion to UK GDP. Across the UK it has 24 big fulfilment centres and dozens of delivery stations. It has recently completed a year-long expansion at its Coalville site in north west Leicestershire, which has increased the capacity of the site by a third without increasing the one million sq ft footprint of the building. A four-storey tower has been built inside the fulfilment centre, increasing floor space and also enabling the 1,000 or so workers there to manage a greater variety of products. Vivek Khanka, the general manager at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, said the business was supporting local businesses, creating jobs and making a positive contribution to the regional economy. He said: “We help more than 2,000small businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire sell on Amazon and reach customers around the world, and we also continue to support community organisations across the region through donations and volunteering.

Ports & Logistics2025-03-28 00:16:32

Why Jeremy Hunt must commit to electrifying Midland Mainline and decent rail links between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham

The new Government must not drop a promise of electrifying the Midland Mainline and commit to improving east-west rail links across the Midlands. That is the call from campaigners who are urging Jeremy Hunt not to take his eye of a string of big projects that could cut congestion and CO2 emissions and bring vital business into the region. The new Chancellor will reveal his economic plan on November 17. Transport for the East Midlands, which brings together nine councils across the region, and Midlands Connect – a division of the Midlands Engine – have drawn up a wish list of eight schemes they say help prop up the regional economy as the country faces one of the toughest economic periods ever. They claim the region has missed out on billions of investment under both Labour and Tory governments since the turn of the century – which has seen transport spending drop from around 80 per cent of the UK average per person in 2001/2 to around 65 per cent today. Their list include funding the on-then-off-the-on-again plans to electrify the Midland Mainline north of Market Harborough. After pausing the plans in 2015, then cancelling them in 2017, the Government’s 2021 Integrated Rail Plan re-committed to electrify the line up to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield by the early 2030s. The investment will enable East Midland’s Rails new Aurora Class intercity trains to run in electric mode – providing the wires south of Bedford are upgraded from 100mph to 125mph. The campaigners are also calling for improvements to the poor rail services linking Coventry with Leicester and Nottingham. There has been no direct link between Coventry and the two East Midlands cities for almost two decades. Midlands Connect recently put forward plans that would see direct services brought back with a new route through Nuneaton. Once in place, the changes would allow a direct, twice hourly service between Coventry and Leicester, cutting journey times from 54 to just 38 minutes. It will also create new links from Coventry to Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway and Nottingham. Journey times from Coventry to Nottingham would also be cut from 108 minutes to 70 minutes – a 35 per cent reduction. Other priorities included enhancements to the A46 Growth Corridor, improving safety and reliability on the A1, and improvements to the 56 mile A50/A500 Corridor running from Derby to Stoke. Campaigners also want to see money spent on the A5 Growth Corridor, the delivery of HS2 to the East Midlands and Leeds and improving connectivity across EMDevCo and East Midlands Freeport areas. Leicester Mayor and TfEM chairman Sir Peter Soulsby said investment in transport would support the Government’s the Levelling Up agenda among other things. He said: “There is uncertainty around the impact that the upcoming budget will have on public sector spending generally, but it’s imperative that the East Midlands does not fall behind any further when it comes to transport funding. “At present, if the East Midlands was funded at a level equivalent to the national average, it would have an extra £1.26 billion per year to spend on transport.