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The CBI has warned that in the face of widespread dissatisfaction there would have to be improvements to regional infrastructure across England if the country鈥檚 productivity was to be raised.

Such improvements would give England鈥檚 regions 鈥渢he chance to improve links with international markets鈥�, a new CBI report argues.

The employers鈥� organisation said the document, 鈥楽haping Regional Infrastructure鈥�, drew on conversations with members of the UK鈥檚 largest business group, , and the latest , and 鈥渄emonstrates the pressing need felt by businesses to enhance their infrastructure and connectivity across the country鈥�.

Improving the links between regions would give firms access to a broader labour market pool and better connections to supply chains, the CBI said.

鈥淲ith businesses across the country wanting a long term aviation strategy that makes the best use of regional airports, better links to these would be vital in connecting firms with new and existing international markets to which to export 鈥� particularly important post-Brexit,鈥� it added.

CBI analysis showed that if each region of England grew at the same pace as the best performing area within each region did between 2004 and 2014, the gain to England鈥檚 economy could be 拢175bn by 2024, with infrastructure improvements playing an important role.

Rhian Kelly, the CBI鈥檚 infrastructure director, said: 鈥淓ngland鈥檚 infrastructure is the arteries and veins without which the country its economy and businesses simply would not function.

鈥淏ut with only a quarter of firms satisfied with the state of their region鈥檚 infrastructure, it鈥檚 vital the pace of taking action and delivering improvements is stepped up.鈥�