Lord Blunkett to submit review into Yorkshire rail network to government as part of White Rose Agreement

The trio sealed the deal yesterday at Selby Abbey, and said they hoped to welcome the new mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire into the fold in May.

As part of the agreement, former Home Secretary and Sheffield MP Lord Blunkett has agreed to carry out a review of the region’s rail connectivity and submit it to the Government.

It is hoped that his political heft could get long-promised projects like Northern Powerhouse Rail, the high-speed line from Liverpool to Hull with a new station at Bradford, off the ground.

“I’m very pleased to work with Yorkshire's mayors on this by leading a review on improving rail connections and services for the north,” Lord Blunkett told The Yorkshire Post.

"Our united message for the government is loud and clear: Yorkshire is back in business and on the move.

"By joining forces in this way, the mayors are ensuring God's Own Country is heard in Whitehall, as the government prepares its 10-year infrastructure plan and spending priorities.

"My review will pull together existing plans and develop new ideas to progress the case for proper investment in Yorkshire's transport network.

"We know that better connections are key to boosting growth across the country."

Mr Coppard, who pushed for the pan-Yorkshire agreement after the election, said it was key to “being able to say collectively we are making that case with one voice about what it is we need”.

“We’ve got huge ambition when it comes to rail,” he explained. “The Government has already said in terms of mayors and devolution rail is going to be a big focus of that push.

“Working with David [Blunkett] to be able to put that strategic wrap around the whole of the Yorkshire plan is going to help us make that case quite quickly to the Government.”

Ms Brabin said nothing “illustrates” the need for collaboration more than transport.

She told The Yorkshire Post: “Transport in the North is like a dragnet on our ambitions and I believe that coming together in this White Rose Agreement we can find solutions to that cross border connectivity.”

The West Yorkshire Mayor said that Lord Blunkett would be making the case to the Government for projects like electrifying the rail route between Leeds and Sheffield, and better connectivity on buses across the border between Leeds, York and Harrogate.

Improving the bus network between North, South and West Yorkshire is one of the five pledges which form the White Rose Agreement.

Mr Skaith, the York and North Yorkshire Mayor, added: “People across Yorkshire have a strong local identity, but when it comes to keeping communities safe, getting to work or college, or doing business, people don’t care about boundaries between one area of Yorkshire or another.

“They just care that they’re connected to opportunity and that’s what the White Rose Agreement is all about.”