Blinkered view of investment in infrastructure

THE Department for Transport has announced that they were setting up a joint task force to explore “where next for electrification in the North”.

This new task force will consider routes including Chester-Crewe/Warrington, Sheffield-Doncaster/Leeds/Manchester, Leeds-Harrogate-York, and Selby-Hull.

Now I am more than sure that they are well merited, and I wish them all every success and every penny.

However, your eagle-eyed readers may have noticed 
one glaring omission, namely 
that of the Calder Valley Line, linking Leeds to Manchester, going through glorious Hebden Bridge.

I really despair at the Southern-centric blinkered view that the Government has of investment in infrastructure projects anywhere outside the M25.

Do they not realise the strategic importance of the railway line serving the numerous significant communities along the line?

I fear that last may have been a rhetorical question.

It’s bad enough when we in the North are left scrabbling amongst ourselves for millions of pounds while billions seem to be available for the South viz the expansion of Heathrow/Gatwick/Thames Estuary airport, but for Calderdale to be left off the agenda is taking it too far.

I would urge your readers to contact their MPs and indeed the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, to review the list and include the Calder Valley Line.