Nick Clegg is calling for decentralisation and devolution for the North of England and inviting ideas through the Northern Futures project. The speech follows the launch of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Northern Futures project in July – a call for ideas on ways to create an economic hub in the north of England. To have your say go here. 

London Mayoral candidate and transport expert Christian Wolmar has suggested banning traffic from Oxford Street. Cutting out cars and buses would double the number of people who flock to London’s most famous shopping street each day. Wolmar says even cycles may have to be banned if the West End landmark is to be saved from a slow decline over coming years.

England’s core cities have called for decade-long public service funding settlements to form part of Chancellor George Osborne’s devolution plan for the North. Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle City Council and Core Cities Cabinet member for reform, said 10-year funding deals in the areas of skills, transport and adult social care would help boost the growth potential of cities. Forbes said the group – which includes the five northern cities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield – wanted place-based settlements to form part of Osborne’s ‘Northern economic powerhouse’.

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Greg Clark, Minister for Cities have signed the finalised £1.2bn Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal with local council leaders and the Scottish government. The deal involves up to 20 infrastructure schemes across the city-region. These include improvements to the M8, a new bridge and “some form of” rail link to Glasgow airport.