Mayors urge Government to seize 'once in a generation' moment to fix Yorkshire's railways

The report was penned by Lord Blunkett, the former Home Secretary and Sheffield MP who was also in attendance, which said that boosting connectivity will add £20bn in gross added value within 10 years.

The mayors enlisted Lord Blunkett, as part of the White Rose Agreement which has led to closer collaboration between the trio, to put together a pitch to the Government ahead of the Spending Review next month.

This will see the Treasury set out the budgets for Whitehall departments and major infrastructure projects for the years ahead.

The plan for rail was the mayors’ big pitch, which Lord Blunkett said is “credible and affordable”.

It called for £2.4bn in the spending review to cover immediate projects, which include faster services between Leeds and Sheffield, longer and more modern trains across the network and faster times on the York to Scarborough line.

The overall plan requires £14bn over 15 years and in the longer term it calls for a new through station at Bradford, the extension of the tram network in West and South Yorkshire and by the 2040s Northern Powerhouse Rail, the high-speed network connecting across the Pennines.

The mayors have already met with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Rail Minister Lord Hendy to discuss the proposals, and yesterday urged the Government to get behind the project.

Ms Brabin told The Yorkshire Post that the pragmatism, practicality and phrased approach had “landed well” with the Cabinet minister and her colleague.

“Fixing our broken railways will help us create more jobs, unlock opportunities and build more homes, closing that productivity gap, putting more money into people's pockets,” she said.

Ms Brabin explained that with the Transpennine Route Upgrade it was “once in a generation opportunity” to rebuild the region’s railways.

“For far too long we have been cut out of that picture,” she claimed, before adding: “It is time to back Yorkshire.”

Mr Coppard said that Ms Alexander and Lord Hendy both said “they’re absolutely keen to see improvements in Yorkshire”.

The South Yorkshire Mayor said the challenge for himself, his colleagues and the Government was to show “that absolutely we can make change happen”.

“With the Labour government and Labour mayors, we can absolutely see change, and change happens under labor, and that's what I think the Government needs to communicate here as well.”

Mr Skaith said: “We’re all frustrated as some of the schemes in this project have been around for some time and haven’t been delivered, and haven’t had that investment.

“But having a more joined up approach when putting our plans to government is going to make that change and is going to bring that difference.”

The mayors were keen to stress the personal stories behind the statistics of delays and loss of time and money.

When travelling from Sheffield to Leeds yesterday for the announcement, Mr Coppard and Lord Blunkett’s train was delayed by almost half an hour.

The South Yorkshire Mayor explained that a woman, whose mother was using a walker, quizzed him about the state of the trains.

“She was angry enough on the platform because the train was delayed,” Mr Coppard recalled.

“Then when we got on the train and it was standing room only, and her mum couldn't really stand, she was even more angry.

“I fully understand that anger and she isn't the only one, because for people like her, people like us, the people right across our communities, that is their day to day experience of the railways, overcrowded, not on time, not getting them where they need to be, when they need to be there.”

Mr Brabin added: “Behind the statistics, we all know those stories of human misery from constantly being late to work, missed hospital appointments, not being able to attend those family gatherings, skipping meetings with friends, so many of those important life's moments.”

Mr Coppard ended with a rallying cry to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor: “Now we need the government to support and that's what this plan is about.

“It's no longer about why, it's no longer about what - we know those answers.

“It's about how and when - how are we going to and when are we going to get what we need in this region to make rail work for us."