Integrated Rail Plan; why Yorkshire is big loser – Yorkshire Post Letters

AFTER many years of promises I am appalled by the Government’s decision to scrap both the eastern leg of HS2 and, at the same time, the complimentary new Northern Powerhouse Rail (Leeds -Bradford-Manchester).

Basically, in Yorkshire we have lost everything and so-called “levelling up” has been shown to be nothing but hot air.

The “spin” now being put out talks of upgrades to the existing Leeds-Huddersfield-Manchester Trans-Pennine line as a more attractive alternative. But this Trans-Pennine Upgrade (TPU) and electrification has been progressing since first mentioned in the 2011 Autumn Statement and it must now rank as one of the slowest and most drawn-out projects ever, especially with work on site still to commence.

The intention has never been that it is either Trans-Pennine Upgrade or Northern Powerhouse Rail – both serve different purposes/markets and both have always been required.

Furthermore, the proposals for TPU allow for only one freight train path per hour. This is hardly likely to enable many lorries to be taken off the M62.

The whole concept of the new lines was to help “bind together” the triangle formed by Birmingham, Bradford and Leeds to form a strong economic unit. That concept is now completely broken and Bradford in particular gets no benefit at all.

New high-speed railways in the UK are built to the larger continental structure gauge (known as the UIC gauge). However, sometime in the future, if and when, HS1 (Channel Tunnel Rail Link) and HS2 are linked together, trains from Europe would be able to run straight through to Manchester – but not to Leeds.

Any trains for Leeds would have to be formed of dedicated trains built to the smaller British structure gauge. As such, it is highly unlikely that any European railway would consider such an investment.

I live in York and have to regularly put up with what amounts to a 19th century journey to Birmingham which can take up to two-and-a-half hours.

To put this time into perspective, a Eurostar from London to Paris takes about two and three-quarters hours.

I want to see all MPs in Yorkshire getting together to form a united cross-party front to speak up for our region’s people and businesses.

A “U-turn” is desperately required to enable the north to have a basic framework of clean, green, 21st century electric railways fit for the future.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app, receive exclusive members-only offers and access to all premium content and columns. Click here to subscribe.