‘Levelling up’ on rail in 2030s is too far down the track - Yorkshire Post Letters

READING the transport report from the Great Northern Conference supplement (The Yorkshire Post, October 29), I wanted to know if the debate about “levelling up” our transport infrastructure was just directed at projects that will deliver in the 2030s and the 2040s. Why so little reference to investment that would benefit Yorkshire in the 2020s?

After all, the full trans-Pennine route upgrade is not yet securely funded. Twice postponed by government, and with national decisions on rail investment imminent, this project offers an immediate and tangible opportunity to “level up” the north of England at a time when the impacts of Covid 19 are driving the North’s economy in the other direction.

In addition to better connectivity between communities across the North, full electrification offers significant environmental rewards in better air quality in our towns, transfer to rail of freight from the motorways, and improved reliability and journey times for passengers.

The North needs an explicit commitment to both the full trans-Pennine route upgrade and the rolling programme of electrification. This would ensure that the Midland Mainline electrification is completed beyond the East Midlands.

The recommendations of the Northern Electrification Task Force (“Northern Sparks”, March 2015) would also see investment and improved services in many local lines in Yorkshire as part of a “levelling up” agenda.

The rail industry has clearly identified the benefits. The capital costs of electrification will be more than offset by lower capital costs of electric trains and lower energy, operating and maintenance costs. 

Rail electrification will also create sustainable and well-paid jobs “in design, integration, management, manufacturing and construction” and “level up” the economy through job creation away from London and the South-East, says Network Rail.

Despite an announcement in July that the Government wished to see full electrification of the entire trans-Pennine route, there has been little sign of how that commitment will be delivered.

When will the widespread concern in our region about our neglected infrastructure lead to clear, unambiguous and funded plans by the Government? With an early timetable for the full trans-Pennine electrification, we would have some tangible benefits in the 2020s.

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