Is Northern Powerhouse Rail going to stop at Bradford? I'll have to get back to you on that, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson was not able to give “the chapter and verse on where the stops are going to be” during a visit to Yorkshire on Monday.

“I’m going to have to get back to you to give you the chapter and verse on exactly where the stops are going to be but we’re going ahead both with HS2 and with Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

The comments come amid fears that the Government may water down the flagship “levelling up” policy and scale back the proposed high speed rail link between Leeds and Manchester.

The Yorkshire Post has previously seen government documents which suggest that rather than building a new high speed rail line between Leeds and Manchester, the project could now follow the route of the existing Trans-Pennine line through Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

Northern leaders fear that the high speed route may now not include a station in Bradford city centre, something considered vital for the city's economic fortunes.

The Prime Minister was visiting PPG Architectural Coatings in Birstall alongside Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson ahead of the by-election in Batley and Spen this Thursday.

Mr Stephenson said that “connectivity is the key thing for our area here in Batley and Spen.”

He added: "People need to access local rail services so they can access good jobs in the area and also so that we can have a better connected bus service so together those things will really help us here.

“And levelling up is about transport, it’s also about investing in our high streets as well and our jobs here.”

In a speech in 2019, Boris Johnson said he wanted "to be the Prime Minister who does with Northern Powerhouse Rail what we did for Crossrail in London". He said: "And today I am going to deliver on my commitment to that vision with a pledge to fund the Leeds to Manchester route."