Latest news with #YorkshireRail
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Major £14bn plan to fix 'broken' rail system in English region: Two new stations, capacity upgrades and electrification to speed up journeys
A major £14billion plan to fix Yorkshire's 'broken' rail system' was unveiled today, including building two new stations and increasing capacity at three hubs. Former home secretary Lord Blunkett said the proposal 'presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' improve connectivity and unlock economic growth in the region. The Labour peer has published an infrastructure plan which recommends building a new through-station for Bradford and a mainline station at Rotherham. The report also outlines the need for increasing capacity at Leeds, Sheffield and York stations, as well as upgrades and electrification between Leeds and Sheffield. Increasing the frequency of services for places including Scarborough, the Esk Valley, Penistone Line and Wakefield district's Five Towns is also part of the proposal. The plan launched with the metro mayors of West, South and North Yorkshire calls on the Government to deliver on its promises to back transport in northern England. Sheffield-born Lord Blunkett, who was home secretary from 2001 to 2004, said Yorkshire's Plan for Rail would deliver a huge boost to jobs, growth and new housing. He is launching the plan in Leeds today alongside West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, and York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith, who signed the White Rose Agreement earlier this year to work together. York station (pictured) would also get a capacity upgrade as part of Lord Blunkett's plans Lord Blunkett said: 'Yorkshire has been punching under its weight for far too long, and with the White Rose Agreement and this infrastructure plan, the three mayors are determined to reverse this historic trend. 'It's been a pleasure to be asked to pull together this credible and affordable plan, which presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve rail connectivity and unlock economic growth and opportunities for all. 'By taking action now, the benefits of releasing capacity, speeding up journeys, improving reliability and running more frequent services will be felt not just here, but across the North, Midlands and beyond. It's time to back Yorkshire.' Lord Blunkett's review outlines how a 'creaking Victorian-era infrastructure' is holding back a region of 4.6million people, with poor and unreliable services regularly failing to meet the needs of passengers and businesses. It sets out a need for substantial investment as part of the Government's proposed 10-year infrastructure plan and spending review later this year, with £2.4billion required between now and 2030, and approximately £14billion in total. The report said targeted rail investment has the potential to add £20billion to the region's economy and could help generate an extra 83,000 jobs. Mayor of West Yorkshire Ms Brabin said: 'A lack of investment stretching back decades has left Yorkshire with a rail network no longer fit for purpose. 'This is holding back ambitious growth plans for our regions which will put more money in people's pockets. 'We owe it to everyone, especially younger generations, to secure our fair share of funding so the region's train services are suitable for the modern age, getting passengers to where they need to go, when they want to go.' The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Mr Skaith said: 'Working together, we can drive real change and boost opportunities across our region. 'This is a credible, long-term plan to deliver the connectivity our communities need - creating better access to jobs, education and investment.' And South Yorkshire's Mayor Mr Coppard said: 'David Blunkett has, for the first time, made clear the problems created by decades of under-investment across the whole of Yorkshire and given us a plan for fixing them, working together across the whole of God's Own Country.' He added: 'Ultimately, we simply want reliable, effective rail services, so we can get to work, see friends and family or just go for a night out. 'Through this plan, there is a pathway with a phased approach to fix our broken rail system.' The Department for Transport said it will consider Lord Blunkett's recommendations carefully, stressing that it is committed to improving transport across the North. A spokesman said: 'Reliable and affordable public transport links are essential for supporting jobs and driving economic growth, key to our Plan for Change, and making travelling quicker, easier, and greener. 'We are investing in the North and delivering transformational projects across the region, such as the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade, and we're maintaining momentum on Northern Powerhouse Rail by progressing planning and design works to support future delivery. 'We will continue to work with local leaders to improve rail connectivity.' It said it has asked Network Rail to maintain development work for updates at Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford, and is supporting West Yorkshire's mass transit plans by providing £200million development funding. The department also said it had prioritised funding to develop plans for a new Rotherham Mainline station and to renew the Supertram network, connecting Sheffield and Rotherham. And it said that, under Great British Railways, there will be a statutory role for devolved leaders in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network. The announcement comes two days after a new railway line between Liverpool and Manchester that would 'punch well above its weight' was proposed by regional leaders in the North West. Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham, alongside former rail minister Huw Merriman, are urging the Government to support the plans. A report outlining the case for the new Liverpool-Manchester Railway states it would cut journey times between the city centres to 32 minutes, compared with an average of 49 minutes currently. It would also bring more than half a million more people within 30 minutes of the destinations. The line would run from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly, with stops at a new Liverpool Gateway station, Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lord Blunkett outlines £14bn Yorkshire rail plan
A multi-billion pound plan to fix Yorkshire's "creaking Victorian-era" railways has been put forward by the former home secretary Lord by the mayors of West, South and North Yorkshire, Lord Blunkett said the region had been held back by ageing infrastructure, poor performance and unreliable Plan for Rail sets out a £14bn investment package calling for increased capacity at Leeds, Sheffield and York stations, a new through-station for Bradford and a mainline station at Blunkett said the proposal offered "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to improve connectivity and unlock economic growth in the region. Other improvements include electrifying the line between Leeds and Sheffield and increasing the frequency of services for places such as Scarborough, the Esk Valley, Penistone Line and Wakefield district's Five first phase of improvements would need £2.4bn of government investment between now and 2030. This would be in addition to the £2.5bn funding needed to bring trams back to West Yorkshire and investment for tram extension and renewal in South to Lord Blunkett's review, the targeted investment could add £20bn to the region's economy over the next decade. It could also help generate an extra 83,000 jobs and contribute to the building of 210,000 new homes. Lord Blunkett will launch his review alongside West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith in said: "Yorkshire has been punching under its weight for far too long, and with the White Rose Agreement and this infrastructure plan, the three Mayors are determined to reverse this historic trend."It's been a pleasure to be asked to pull together this credible and affordable plan, which presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve rail connectivity, and unlock economic growth and opportunities for all."Brabin said Yorkshire's rail network was "no longer fit for purpose" and they owed it to younger generations to secure funding for train services fit for the added: "In York and North Yorkshire, that means two trains an hour between York and Scarborough, upgraded stations at Malton, Seamer and Scarborough, and a new station at Haxby."We need to push forward with the transformation of York Station to maximise the benefits of York Central, one of the most significant regeneration sites in the country."In South Yorkshire, Coppard called for more trains, station improvements and better connections to Leeds, York, Manchester, London and elsewhere."Ultimately, we simply want reliable, effective rail services, so we can get to work, see friends and family or just go for a night out," he said."I want to see Sheffield fully electrified, a new station at Rotherham, more capacity at Doncaster and new services between Barnsley and London." The Department for Transport said it would consider Lord Blunkett's recommendations carefully, stressing that it was committed to improving transport across the North.A spokesman said: "Reliable and affordable public transport links are essential for supporting jobs and driving economic growth, key to our Plan for Change, and making travelling quicker, easier, and greener."We are investing in the North and delivering transformational projects across the region, such as the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade, and we're maintaining momentum on Northern Powerhouse Rail by progressing planning and design works to support future delivery."We will continue to work with local leaders to improve rail connectivity."The DfT said it had asked Network Rail to maintain development work for updates at Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford, and is supporting West Yorkshire's mass transit plans by providing £200 million development department also said it had prioritised funding to develop plans for a new Rotherham Mainline station and to renew the Supertram network, connecting Sheffield and added that, under Great British Railways, there would be a statutory role for devolved leaders in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
