THE Government is facing fresh calls to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) in full with a dedicated stop in Bradford.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin and Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe made the comments amid a glimmer of hope from the new rail minister.
Responding to a question from Sheffield MP Dan Jarvis, Huw Merriman told the House of Commons that he was “assessing options for Bradford with regards to a new station”.
Mr Merriman said: “As well as committing to the core integrated rail plan, the Prime Minister this summer set the Department the challenge of assessing options for Bradford with regards to a new station and to better connect Bradford.”
He added: “That is work that I am doing. It is an incredibly high priority for me.”
It follows the Government’s announcement in the Autumn Statement that it would be scaling back on plans to build NPR in full, with a new station at Bradford, and instead proceed with less ambitious 'core' plans set out in last year’s Integrated Rail Plan.
Cllr Hinchcliffe, who is also Chair of West Yorkshire’s transport committee, said: “Business leaders and MPs from all across the North support Bradford’s ask to be part of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
“If Government are now starting to take that seriously then I ask them to get together with us and sort out a plan to make it happen.”
According to the Bradford Economic Partnership, delivering NPR in full would boost the district’s economy by almost £30bn over a decade, providing 27,000 jobs and creating a regeneration site three times the size of Canary Wharf.
Ms Brabin said: “We are clear that building Northern Powerhouse Rail in full with that important new station in Bradford is the right decision for West Yorkshire, the North, and the whole country.
“We look forward to meeting the new Transport Secretary so that we can explain to him how this will create thousands of jobs, boost the economy by billions and level up opportunities in jobs and living standards.”
What’s happened to Northern Powerhouse Rail plans?
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt promised to “deliver the core Northern Powerhouse Rail” project as part of the Government’s Autumn Statement.
But it sparked fury among Northern leaders as the bombshell dropped that it will not be the ‘full’ version with a new station in Bradford.
There was dismay last November when the Government’s long-awaited Integrated Rail Plan confirmed weeks of rumours and leaks that the full NPR plan had been scrapped.
But when Liz Truss became Prime Minister, she committed to building NPR in full, with a station in Bradford.
Rishi Sunak then became Prime Minister, which marked another change in approach.
Speaking on November 17, the Chancellor said the Government will “deliver the core Northern Powerhouse Rail, HS2 to Manchester, east-west rail, the new hospitals programme, and gigabit broadband rollout”.
Naz Shah MP (Labour, Bradford West) said: “The Chancellor and the Government have today committed the greatest ever train robbery of the North, by denying Northern Powerhouse Rail in full to Bradford.”
Judith Cummins MP (Labour, Bradford South) said: “I asked the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday and challenged the Chancellor today and neither could commit to NPR with a stop in Bradford.
“The reality that the deputy PM is referring to with the Integrated Rail Plan is, in fact, mere upgrades to existing outdated lines – not the brand-new high-speed links that cities in the north need to thrive. Lack of investment is holding back places like Bradford. We are not going to make do with upgrades to existing Victorian-era lines.
“The last seven years of broken promises sends a clear message from the Tories they don’t see the potential of the North and don’t care. People in Bradford and the North deserve better.”
Meanwhile Philip Davies (Conservative, Shipley), described the financial statement as “sobering”.
He suggested the Government should “scrap the white elephant of HS2” and instead build Northern Powerhouse Rail in full.
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