Yorkshire's three mayors met the Transport Secretary last night
(Thursday) to outline their ambitions for the region's railways.
, who is leading a review of
rail connectivity in Yorkshire, joined (West Yorkshire) (South Yorkshire) and
(York and North Yorkshire),
to meet , and Rail Minister, , at York's National Railway
Museum to discuss how they can help to fast-track the delivery of
improvements and support the national growth agenda.
They made the case for further investment to deliver
faster, more frequent and reliable train services
by increasing capacity at Leeds, Sheffield and York stations,
building a new through-station for Bradford and a mainline
station at Rotherham, carrying out upgrades and electrification
between Leeds and Sheffield, and increasing the frequency of
services for places such as Scarborough, the Esk Valley,
Penistone Line and Wakefield district's Five Towns.
Last month, the Metro Mayors came together to sign the White Rose
Agreement as a signal of their commitment to working together on
key areas and shared priorities. They asked to review rail connectivity
across the three areas and his report is due to be published in
May.
The review aims to make it easier for passengers to travel across
Yorkshire and beyond to key destinations such as Greater
Manchester and the North West.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “For too
long people using the railways in Yorkshire have suffered
disruption and delays due to our creaking infrastructure.
“Meeting with the Transport Secretary was a useful opportunity to
explain the scale of our ambitions to boost growth and unlock
opportunities, and understand how we can support the government
to get this right.
“We're making great progress with leading this vital review
that will set out how we can deliver long overdue improvements to
our rail network, making it easier and faster to travel across
Yorkshire, the North and beyond.”
South Yorkshire's Mayor, , said: “I've
repeatedly said that significant investment is needed in our rail
network. Connecting our communities across Yorkshire and the
North is not an optional extra; It's crucial for us to be able to
harness economic opportunities, drive growth and give everyone
here chance to stay near and go far.
“Working with on this review, for the first
time we are collectively making the case to government to improve
rail connectivity across Yorkshire. Meeting the Transport
Secretary alongside Tracy and David was vital in making that case
clear.
“Together we can tackle the transport challenges that have held
us back, bring in the investment that will amplify our huge
ambition, and create more good jobs in the industries of the
future, so that we have the world class transport network that
Yorkshire deserves.”
Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “I want
every part of our region to thrive — and that means making it
easier for people to get around. Better rail links between our
coastal towns and Yorkshire's cities aren't just nice to have —
they're essential. They'll support new homes, help people get to
work and education, and boost tourism and local businesses.
"After decades of neglect in northern rail infrastructure, it's
time for real investment to connect our communities and make it
simpler to live, work, visit and invest here in Yorkshire.
“Meeting with the Secretary of State and was an important opportunity
to highlight the potential that could be unlocked through this
much-needed investment and to ensure this remains high on the
national agenda as we work together with the Government to
deliver our ambitious future plans for transport.”
The meeting with the Secretary of State follows the Prime
Minister's announcement of further investment in the North's
transport network and the intention to empower local leaders to
drive forward changes they know are needed most in their areas.
The work comes amidst year-long celebrations across the country
marking 200 years of the modern railway, with Yorkshire playing a
key role in the history of the industry. Doncaster was famed for
building locomotives, including the iconic Flying Scotsman, Leeds
was home to the first commercial railway to use steam locomotives
successfully, while York's railway station was the largest in the
world when it opened.
said: "My
review has already established that Yorkshire's rail network has
far too many constraints to support the three Mayors' ambitious
plans for the region.
"We will set out a vision for a fit-for-purpose rail network that
will mean more frequent, faster services, and greater capacity
where it's needed - all unlocking opportunities for growth.
“The government's ambitious house-building programme cannot be
achieved without the connectivity that allows people to travel
for work, leisure and entertainment, and businesses cannot thrive
without a 21st Century infrastructure facilitating greater
economic activity, productivity and prosperity.
"As we celebrate 200 years of the modern railway this year,
there's no better time to make the case for investment in
Yorkshire's railways, setting out an affordable and credible plan
to government on its delivery."
This has been sent on behalf of the West Yorkshire Combined
Authority and Mayor of West Yorkshire.
