Call for action over rail line
This is the time of year when Calderdale is ablaze with festivity.
Whether it’s long standing galas such as those at Brighouse and Mytholmroyd, traditional agricultural shows like Todmorden’s, the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, or relatively newer events like the Brighouse 1940s weekend or the Halifax Food and Drink Festival, there’s simply too much on to get round them all.
And that’s without mentioning the many smaller events such as Party in the Park at Lee Mount, the Southowram Scarecrow Festival and dozens more too numerous to list.
Before the general election, we heard a lot from George Osborne about the northern powerhouse. The idea that more powers and investment would be give to the cities of northern England, and in particular the promise of huge improvements in travel connections between them. Now just five weeks later we learn that plans to electrify the Transpennine rail line, through Huddersfield, have been
Because our local festivals bring so many people to Calderdale and boost local businesses, the council has provided some funding to support them. And of course many public workers, from council street cleaners to the police, work quietly behind the scenes to help things run smoothly.
But none of this can match the voluntary time and effort that goes in, every year and across every community, to make such events happen.
Festivals are part of what makes Calderdale so special. Well done to everyone who helps keep them alive and vibrant year after year. paused. What’s worse, it’s become clear that the government already knew that they were running over time and over budget before the election. As a result, local people may be feeling pretty cynical about the promises made by Conservative politicians over the future electrification of our own Calder Valley line, which had previously been identified as the government’s top northern priority. That’s why I am backing calls from Halifax’s MP Holly Lynch and Bradford Council leader Dave Green for an urgent meeting with the Transport Secretary to discuss the issue.