For a better Bradford

I VERY much agree with Graeme Pickering that Bradford has the worst rail connections in Britain relative to its size (January issue). On the other hand, the HS3 type proposal, with a completely new line from Leeds to Manchester via Bradford, nearly all in tunnel, never seemed a realistic proposition to me – particularly if the Leeds to Manchester route via Huddersfield is to be substantially improved.

There is a relatively simple and much less expensive option which can plug Bradford into the intercity network. This is to build a new line, around five-six miles long, mostly in tunnel, between Low Moor and Bradley (on the Leeds to Huddersfield line).

Given that the proposed investment in the Manchester to Leeds line via Huddersfield is claimed to give a 33-minute journey time, then my proposal should provide a Manchester to Bradford journey time of 30 minutes, as well as a much better link between Bradford and Huddersfield.

There is also the option of making an eastbound connection where my proposed line crosses the Calder Valley line, and this could give a much more direct link from Bradford to Wakefield, and to Barnsley and Sheffield if the Horbury curve is reinstated.

Overall the Integrated Rail Plan

(IRP) is disappointing for not giving a much greater priority to electrification and maximising the early benefits from HS2. In my view the whole of the Midland main line network needs electrifying through Leicester and onward to Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Leeds and Doncaster, as well as the Hope Valley line to Manchester, and Derby to Birmingham. Perhaps the Sheffield to Leeds route via Cudworth should reopen to give a 30 minute journey time. Given the amount of investment to the west of the Pennines surely this is the least we can expect in order to achieve some degree of levelling-up?

David Smith

Sheffield

A VERY informative article on Bradford in the last issue. It seems to me that links to major cities were not a concern of planners, which sort of explains Bradford’s predicament.

Every time I use our local Spen Valley Greenway, whilst good for exercise, I

feel it is a waste of a resource that could link us to Bradford via Low Moor – and indeed, just less than a mile away,

Leeds via the much fabled ‘Leeds New Line’. I’m baffled as to why it would seem these important links were just discarded rather than mothballed,

which doesn’t seem to happen in other areas.

A great article, hopefully embarrassing someone to do something to ‘level up’.

Ben Marshall Liversedge, West Yorkshire