In our latest One Voice podcast, we speak to Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, about business investment, transport and wider connectivity with the North. He highlights the importance of Liverpool as a port city and trade opportunities post-Brexit, as well as the benefits from the visitor economy and the region’s growth as an innovation hub. Digital connectivity is crucial for the city, he says, and will play a key role in helping people and businesses achieve their ambitions across all sectors of the economy. Mayor Rotheram says transport is hugely important for the Liverpool region and improving connectivity across the North is one of the main reasons why he believes Northern Powerhouse Rail should be seen as a genuine opportunity to look towards levelling-up the country. He also reflects on the challenges caused by the recent rail service disruption in the North, and how it is impacting people travelling for work and leisure. Other topics covered include his vision for a franchise model for the buses, a London style integrated transport system for Liverpool and the introduction of hydrogen buses to meet green-travel aims. You can share your thoughts on our podcasts by Tweeting and tagging us with @Transport4North! The Transport for the North podcast is a forum to allow guests to express their personal opinions about the North, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of TfN.