Advancing smart cities in the North West through devolution

The UK is amid a political and digital revolution. With more localised decision-making, Labour’s new plans for devolution open further opportunity for transformative technological initiatives across the North West, writes Dave Ferry of ITS.

And, once paired with full fibre connectivity, devolution serves as a catalyst for economic growth, with the North West in poll position to use devolution as a launchpad for prosperity.

The new political stance on devolution derives from the understanding that mayors are some of the best people to make decisions about their locality. The ingrained knowledge of the issues, such as crime, digital exclusion and poverty, as well as local job markets within their community,  ensures they can apply digital projects to target their unique objectives.

In Manchester

Putting power into the hands of local experts is already providing inter-city connectivity benefits across key North West hubs, including Manchester. In Greater Manchester, the local 5G Innovation Regions Funding secured more than £3m from the central programme to apply to hyperlocal advanced manufacturing, transport, and public services.

This is being applied to thriving smart cities and streets projects, such as the Smart Decarbonisation Network, using 5G to tackle CO2 emissions and improving quality of life.

Additionally, Manchester’s Digital Asset Mapping initiative visualised the city’s digital infrastructure, identifying location, ownership and network space via geospatial mapping to identify areas with strong or poor connectivity. With the intention to support better planning and service delivery while reducing unnecessary construction, the project showcases the power devolved decision-making has over addressing location-specific digital issues.

In Liverpool

Thanks to devolved decision-making, Liverpool benefits from a 214km gigabit-capable full-fibre network known as LCR Connect. The network provides local businesses, universities, schools, hospitals, and students across the six local authorities with next-generation infrastructure to harness future-ready technology and cloud-enabled devices.

Available to around 28,000 businesses using £30m of investment, the network is providing a more equitable digital playing field for citizens and local enterprises, while underpinning 5G trials that establish Liverpool as a future-gazing digital hub.

“Thanks to devolution, we’re creating a better-connected, more digitally inclusive future for our 1.6m residents.”

– Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram

Financial benefits

Government-backed Investment Zones across areas like Liverpool are expected to drive up to £64m in private investment and create 8,000 jobs across the region.

In Manchester, AI-improved transport networks are all made possible with hyperlocal decision-making – providing dual benefit to mobility and economic development. The integrated ‘Bee Network’ uses AI to facilitate more frequent bus journeys based on commuter demand. Using the CitySwift platform, Transport for Greater Manchester is gaining greater insight into resource parameters, cost, vehicle numbers, and ROI by having an integrated view of the entire travel network.

But, all this needs full-fibre take-up and incentivisation from local authorities to lay the infrastructure needed to support these transformative initiatives.

There are cost-saving opportunities for local authorities however. By centralising cloud systems and integrating AI-driven decision-making, local councils are reducing IT costs, enhancing efficiency, and enabling faster public service responses. Automated processes free up resources, while robust fibre infrastructure across public buildings and housing stock supports proactive IoT-driven maintenance, preventing costly repairs.

Improved public services

Improved digital integration is revolutionising public services, from AI-assisted healthcare diagnostics to IoT-enabled social care solutions that allow vulnerable residents to receive proactive support at home – freeing up beds in hospitals.

Although not in the North West, initiatives like this are already making a considerable difference for councils like Birmingham, Southend, and Sutton, who are saving up to 50,000 per area with smart domiciliary care – showcasing the power of local government-led smart projects.

Net zero initiatives

Local-led projects also support regional green initiatives, with Net Zero programs more strongly rooted in the specific environmental monitoring data of individual cities and towns. Case studies such as Liverpool’s smart street lighting, the ‘Bee Network’, and Warrington’s real-time waste management analytics are actively influencing carbon-cutting decision making across the North West.

Smarter buildings & public policy

The perfect unification of devolution and connectivity is also helping councils overcome the barriers that once hindered growth.

With more regional control over planning and funding, local authorities can work around central government permission, turbocharging the rapid deployment of sustainable smart housing and digital public buildings.

Unitary authorities also have the power to address some of the key vulnerabilities they face with devolved decision-making, including:

• Reducing patient waiting lists with remote telehealth and monitoring devices
• Smart green technologies in-built into public buildings to reduce energy wastage
• Environmental monitoring devices in high-density traffic areas
• Waste management optimisation with smart rubbish receptacles

An example of this in action is Wigan’s use of data-driven, AI-powered social care to rapidly expand the capacity of back-end social care administration.

For the future, this gives local authorities more agency to grant planning permission for major economic drivers – but without the critical underbelly of connectivity, councils will fail to progress this.

The path forward

Labour’s plans to fast-track regional investment via devolution are setting the stage for smart cities and streets growth, with connectivity providing the foundational support to optimise urban planning.

However, leaders in devolved regions must do more to push for further full-fibre take-up across the region. With Gigabit coverage now growing, authorities are in the ideal position to exploit these benefits for sustainable digital growth.

UKREiiF provides an opportune call-to-action for public service and property leaders to protect the benefits that devolution offers with wider connectivity take-up – I look forward to conversations about this in Leeds this month.

• Dave Ferry is chief sales officer at ITS