No more U-turns on HS2; it must come to Yorkshire – Tracy Brabin

Overwhelmingly, after a fair Covid recovery, it’s been transport that has got people talking. And not just the rubbish buses that seem to only work for profit and not people, but rail too.

With many working from home – more so after the latest lockdown was confirmed this week – it’s easy to forget the packed-out commuter trains, last year’s timetabling fiasco, delayed and cancelled electrification.

And it was only in recent weeks that we finally wished the last Pacer train a merry, albeit long overdue, retirement.

People want to use a train network that’s fairly priced, reliable and clean. They also want to ditch the car in favour of public transport but the existing networks don’t make this a reasonable option.

We need to be connected and for that to happen we need Government to deliver on their promises about investment in our rail network and HS2.

So it was pretty galling to read the recent recommendations from National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) which suggested ending the eastern leg of HS2 at East Midlands Parkway, some 80 miles south of the intended destination in Leeds.

A kick in the teeth for Yorkshire.

HS2 isn’t just about faster trips to London, it is also about connecting us to South Yorkshire, the Midlands and increasing capacity so local train routes can be faster, more reliable and efficient. It’s also about getting polluting freight off the roads and onto the railway tracks.

We also need these good transport links in order to attract new business to the region, and if we are to take the initiative and be the centre of the new green economy, we need to have as many strings to our bow as we can.

Without good transport links, we risk being left behind as London and the South East benefit from the good jobs we need here in West Yorkshire.

That said, I understand why HS2 is also an emotional issue. There are people living in towns and villages along the route who fear their homes could be lost and communities changed beyond recognition to make way for it.

This is why I’ve called for genuine consultation and engagement and an honest conversation around the mitigations that will minimise disruption.

To abandon HS2 after all this time and planning is a litmus test of this Conservative Government’s commitment to the North of England.

Government can’t continue to talk the talk. To rebuild our economy they must also walk the walk.

A massive infrastructure project such as this will create good, well-paid skilled jobs and opportunities for our young people, showing the country that ‘levelling up’ is more than simply a slogan but a commitment to invest.

Just the other week, the Chancellor wiped £1bn from the rail infrastructure budget, a huge disappointment to the industry and a step backwards for an industry which needs investment to survive.

What is worse is that this was done through the back door.

It wasn’t announced in the Spending Review, in fact the review claimed record investment levels.

This only came out when the Rail Minster confirmed the budget to be £1bn less that previously announced.

When combined with the announcement that ticket prices are due to rise by an average of 2.6 per cent in March, which represents a total increase of 43 per cent since 2010, it shows that the Government think that they can take commuters for a ride, without investing in our ageing rail network.

Modern and effective infrastructure is a cornerstone to delivering a revitalised North and HS2 is a pivotal step along the road to achieving that.

Without it there is no chance of us getting a high speed line across the North.

It will show that for all the transport investment in the South, we aren’t a priority for this Government.

Government must deliver for our region and the people of West Yorkshire. For far too long it’s felt like we’re at the back of the queue when it comes to infrastructure spending.

The time for rollbacks and U-turns on HS2 has long gone – it’s now time for meaningful consultation followed by action.

West Yorkshire expects nothing less.

Tracy Brabin is MP or Batley and Spen. She is also Labour’s candidate for the West Yorkshire mayoral election.

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