Northern Powerhouse Rail is more than just a transport project, it is an investment in people and our local communities - Susan Hinchcliffe & Alan Brookes

As leaders in both business and government, we know that the benefits of NPR go beyond faster trains and transforming how people in the North travel, important though they are. By connecting the great towns and cities of the North with a modern, high-capacity rail network that is reliable, there is the potential to create a pan-Northern labour market which will unlock skills and access to education and give communities and businesses the connections they need to thrive, improving quality of life, accelerating social mobility and driving economic growth.

We are not alone in making this argument. Last week, over 70 business leaders from across the region joined forces to pen an open letter directly to the Prime Minister calling for the full delivery of NPR. Senior figures from retail, infrastructure and higher education including the chief executives of Morrisons, Bruntwood and the vice-Chancellors of several universities set out the overwhelming economic case and urged the government to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity for growth.

Nowhere is this potential greater than in Bradford — the youngest city in the UK, with a vibrant, diverse population bursting with potential. Today, Bradford’s limited rail connectivity impacts access to jobs, skills and wider opportunities. NPR will change that, linking Bradford more closely with Leeds, Huddersfield, Manchester and beyond, and unlocking the city’s 146HA Southern Gateway regeneration site.

Billed as one of the UK’s largest regeneration initiatives, the Southern Gateway will be driven by a £4.5bn investment in transport infrastructure, including a new Mass Transit system and a state-of-the-art rail station for Bradford.

Bradford is one of the UK’s largest cities without a direct link to the major north-south rail lines, and that’s holding it back. A new ‘through’ station in the Southern gateway would change that completely, connecting Bradford to faster journeys across the north and down to London.

This is a powerful example of how NPR can drive transformation. Better connectivity will make it easier for businesses to trade, for ideas to move, and for investment to flow in. By improving connectivity and attracting investment in places like Bradford, the growth generated can help power a more productive and prosperous North, benefiting the UK economy as a whole.

For young people, it’s about opening doors. Faster, easier travel means better access to jobs, apprenticeships, and universities - more choices, more chances, and a clearer path to the futures they deserve.

In Bradford, you can already see the change happening with developments like One City Park, Bradford Live, and City Village - a major development redefining city centre living. A new station would take that progress to the next level, turning Bradford into a place where people and opportunity move freely, and where the district’s full potential finally connects to the world.

As two people who have their roots in the North, we want future generations to be able to have successful careers and access skilled jobs in this region. NPR will enable people from across the North to access better jobs without relocating, benefiting working people, apprentices, and frontline staff as much as major employers. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the lifeblood of the Northern economy, will be able to draw from a wider pool of talent and serve customers more efficiently.

Business thrives on certainty. When government commits to projects like NPR, it sends a powerful signal to investors and employers: the North is open for business. With clarity on the NPR programme, and the support for the sustainable growth it provides, investors can plan for the long term, unlocking billions in additional private sector investment, which is an essential component of the government’s growth agenda. We have already seen how infrastructure certainty in other regions has catalysed regeneration across the South. Now it is the North’s turn.

Certainty in infrastructure should go hand in hand with ambition, and that ambition should not be limited to linking the region’s cities. NPR will also support growth by delivering a new rail link between Manchester Airport and here in Yorkshire, making it easier for workers, exporters, and visitors to connect.

We know that improved airport access represents more value than convenience for travellers, it is a strategic advantage for the whole country, reducing pressure on our already overcrowded southern airports while helping Northern exporters and SMEs reach global markets and attracting international visitors.

Northern Powerhouse Rail is more than just a transport project - it is a critical national priority and an investment in people and our local communities. This is about building a system that doesn’t simply move people but connects them to opportunity and building a future that’s more inclusive and more prosperous across the North. It’s time to move beyond debate and deliver the rail network the North — and the UK — deserves. Let’s seize this opportunity together.

Susan Hinchcliffe is Leader of Bradford City Council. Alan Brookes is CEO of Arcadis.