LOCAL Council leaders say it is "outrageous" that the Government has tried to link a major refurbishment of Leeds Station to the controversial Integrated Rail Plan.

Earlier this month the Department for Transport announced the completion of £161m of works to Leeds Station, which included a new Platform 0, a new concourse and longer platforms.

The Government said the work would "boost reliability" of trains using the station, one of the busiest in the country.

A press release on the project said it "followed publication of the Government's Integrated Rail Plan."

The long awaited rail plan was published in November and led to anger throughout the North. The much anticipated Northern Powerhouse Rail high speed line, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson had said the Government "would get done" was dropped from future rail schemes for the North.

Rail plan slammed as a 'betrayal of Bradford'

It was hoped the line, which would reduce journey times between the major cities in the North, would also include a new station in Bradford.

And a long planned HS2 link to a planned new station at Leeds was also scrapped.

The plan was seen as a "betrayal" of the North by many.

At a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport Committee earlier this month, members said while the work to Leeds Station was welcomed, it was wrong for the Government to have linked the long planned work to the IRP.

Calderdale Councillor Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddendenfoot) said: "I was annoyed when I saw mention of the recent work over the holiday period at Leeds Station.

"The Government put out on social media that it was part of the Integrated Rail Plan.

"No it wasn't."

The release from Government said: "upgrade completed following publication of government’s £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan."

While chronologically correct - the IRP was published on November 18 and the work at Leeds Station was completed shortly after Christmas, the work was not dependant on the plan, and members of the committee criticised the Government for suggesting a link.

And comments from Wendy Morton, Minister for Rail, included in the release said: "These upgrades are a huge milestone making journeys even easier, providing passengers with more seats, more services and more punctual journeys, all while building upon our unprecedented Integrated Rail Plan.”

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe, also transport lead on the Combined Authority, said: "The work to Leeds Station was planned many years ago.

"It had nothing to do with the Integrated Rail Plan. It is outrageous to say it is linked in any way."