Uncertainty over electrification and other rail plans, councillors are told
THE GOVERNMENT has been urged by Calderdale councillors to push forward with electrification of two Pennine rail routes as promised.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council following a report by council leader, Coun Tim Swift, on West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) discussions on transport.
Coun Mike Barnes said the Government had reneged on its promise to level up Transport in the North with extra funding.
The Labour councillor asked that, given that a recent report had shown regional links provided the best benefits, and also a never-delivered promise of northern electrification of rail, what was WYCA and the council doing about it?
Coun Swift said the Government in the past had supported both Transport for the North and the Northern Powerhouse but had recently changed its approach without spelling out an alternative.
There was uncertainty about which schemes would go ahead. It had been argued strongly that electrification of the Transpennine route should be quickly followed by that of the Calder Valley line, but there was doubt if funds were there to electrify the first line.
Proposals were limited, rather than developing a new route to link Bradford and Manchester which were part of the original Northern Powerhouse proposals, said Coun Swift.
Also, given that the report from the National Infrastructure Commission questioned the future of the eastern leg of HS2, most other projects had been linked to that.
“If HS2 didn’t go ahead, that would have substantial implications for existing plans. These are very uncertain times. West Yorkshire leaders have written in the last couple of weeks to the Transport Secretary voicing concerns and to request a meeting. We have had no response yet,” said Coun Swift, who added all northern authorities were lobbying over the issue.