LONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - British finance minister Rishi
Sunak is set to announce a 1.5 billion-pound ($2.1 billion)
funding boost for public transport in regional English cities as
part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledge to "level up"
poorer parts of the country.
Sunak, who is due to deliver a half-yearly budget plan to
parliament on Wednesday, is expected to increase the size of a
five-year transport programme to 5.7 billion pounds from an
initially planned 4.2 billion pounds, the Treasury said.
"There is no reason why somebody working in the North and
Midlands should have to wait several times longer for their bus
or train to arrive in the morning compared to a commuter in the
capital," Sunak said in a statement on Saturday.
Johnson wants to channel more investment to parts of the
country where many voters switched their traditional allegiances
to back his Conservative Party in his 2019 election triumph.
Sunak is expected to announce on Wednesday tighter controls
on day-to-day spending while excluding longer-term investment
spending from new budget rules.
Extra transport funding will also be provided for Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, the Treasury said.
($1 = 0.7277 pounds)
(Writing by William Schomberg; editing by William James)