ACADEMICS AT the University of Bradford have spoken out about their disappointment regarding the abandonment of the plans for a new high speed rail line between Leeds and Manchester, via Bradford.

On Thursday, November 18, the government announced that it will be scrapping the proposed Northern Powerhouse rail plans in the district, which included a new train station in Bradford, with a proposed 12 minute journey time to Leeds.

Prof Zahir Irani, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Bradford Economic Recovery Board said investment into Northern infrastructure was "crucial."

He said: “We welcome any kind of funding from the government which improves the transport network and infrastructure in this area, but having said that, many people will see this as a missed opportunity, primarily because HS2 was tangible, it felt real and one day we will see it.

“The other point to make is schemes like HS2 are generational, because they last years and years and schoolchildren today may base decisions about their future - such as whether to take A-levels on factors such as this."

Dr David Spicer, Director of Business and Community Engagement in the Faculty of Management, Law & Social Sciences at the University of Bradford said he and other business leaders across the region put their names to a letter to the Prime Minister encouraging HS2 to be built in full.

He said: “From a national infrastructure perspective, it’s very disappointing. This was touted as a major opportunity and improvement of the quality of our connectivity between North and South. For that to have been summarily removed is a concern, because it questions the Government’s commitment to levelling up and connecting the rest of the country with the South East."

“What I would say is it cannot just be all about Leeds to Manchester. It’s got to be about connecting into the hubs and creating a genuine and significant step change in how people use public transport.

“The question has to be: how do people across the region get into and out of this hub? If I get in my car and drive to Manchester, I can be in the city centre in about an hour. For rail services to compete with that, they have to be either on a par or better - it’s as simple as that."

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said she was “deeply disappointed” in the Government’s decision and said it was a “real betrayal of Bradford, Yorkshire and the north of England”.