Rail improvements needed in the here and now across Yorkshire
Rail connectivity isn’t just about links between cities but the many towns that come in between. Rail travel should be the lifeblood of transport for many of these towns. It should be the primary mode of travel but as Halifax and District Rail Action Group (Hadrag) points out services are clearly lacking.
The campaign group has called for new train services between Bradford and Sheffield, saying train users need “big improvements now”.
Hadrag believes a service of through trains from Bradford, Halifax, Elland and Brighouse, via Mirfield then via Barnsley or Wakefield – to Sheffield, could be a game changer for the region.
While plans for a West Yorkshire mass transit network are welcome, that particular scheme is some way off from becoming a reality.
Instead of just eye-catching schemes such as a new tram network, the region also needs improvements in the here and now.
As Hadrag says, local rail users “must not be kept waiting decades for new high-speed lines that will not serve local stations”.
With West Yorkshire Combined Authority putting together the local transport plan, it should take into serious consideration groups such as Hadrag put forward. It won’t be able to deliver everything, as admittedly the list of desired improvements is long, however, progress can only be made if it starts to deal with the issues now.
A properly functioning public transport network has the potential to transform lives. There’s no quick fixes. Instead what is required is a series of sustained improvements coupled with investment in new infrastructure.