Why North York Moors Railway and other heritage lines need new UK coal mines to open – Yorkshire Post Letters

THE North York Moors Railway and other heritage railways in Britain can no longer buy British coal because of the foolish policy of successive governments enthralled by the quasi-religion of net zero.

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This is because of its commitment to phase out the fossil fuels that took Britain from a medieval power to a world leader in innovation, mechanisation and international commerce.

Our coal mines are now closed and filled with ground water.

Why should our heritage railways have to depend on imported coal, often of poor, smoky quality, when Britain has 187 billion tonnes of good coal reserves?

NYMR and the other railways which are vital in protecting the industrial DNA of Great Britain are now reliant on imported 
coal from countries like Kazakhstan.

So why cannot we mine coal here in Britain, not only for our heritage railways but also for 
our steelworks and other industries?

Surely a new mine in Yorkshire is now essential? The new Woodhouse Colliery in Cumbria, being held up by an eco-activist campaign at present, will cost £165m. A mile of HS2 track will cost £307m. Ask yourself which is the better value?

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