West Yorkshire mass transit 'key priority' in Government's Northern Growth Strategy
West Yorkshire’s mass transit system a key priority for the Government’s Northern Growth Strategy, according to a new Treasury briefing document.
Yesterday, Cabinet ministers Rachel Reeves, Heidi Alexander, Steve Reed and Peter Kyle unveiled the latest update in their plan to boost economies across the North.
West Yorkshire could add £26bn to the economy over the next decade, the Treasury said, with enhanced connectivity via mass transit a key priority.
It said: “West Yorkshire Mass Transit will transform how people move across the region and, alongside Phases 1 and 3 of Northern Powerhouse Rail and the £11.5bn Transpennine Route Upgrade to boost connectivity to neighbouring regions, and attract investment and support regeneration, including at Bradford Southern Gateway.”
Mayor Tracy Brabin has pledged to bring trams back to West Yorkshire and has staked her reputation on the success of the £2.5bn projects.
The plans are for the first two lines to connect Leeds and Bradford, and also Elland Road and the White Rose Centre with central Leeds.
The project has hit a few bumps, with the proposed completion date being pushed back to the late 2030s after Whitehall told the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to change its process.
WYCA’s dedicated head of mass transit, Mike Birch, will leave next month after roughly a year in the role, saying the project needs “a very different leadership focus”.
The latest Northern Growth Strategy appears to reinforce this. In the foreward, the four ministers said: “The north of England has waited far too long for a government that matches warm words with concerted ambition, but by working in lockstep with northern mayors, businesses, and communities, we can see the North define its own future.”