[Opinion piece by Grant Shapps, from the Yorkshire\nPost, 23rd July 2020]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Action speaks louder than words. And when it comes to the history of\ntransport infrastructure in Yorkshire, there has been a lot of the latter and\nnot nearly enough of the former.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nGovernment intends to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For\ntoo long, Yorkshiremen and women have had to put up with what I call the\ntransport deficit, the chronic underfunding of transport infrastructure in the\nNorth and elsewhere in comparison with the South East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\ntakes time to build and improve transport links, but we are determined to close\nthis gap in the life of this Parliament, not in 10 or 20 years\u2019 time. Our plans\nfor HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are ambitious \u2013 but their sheer scale\nmeans they will not be finished until the late 2030s. Passengers need change\nsooner than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One\nof the most glaring examples of inadequate transport links in this part of the\ncountry is the Trans-Pennine railway connecting Leeds with Manchester. For too\nlong, this vital artery, joining two great cities and the other cities of the\nNorth that connect with them, has been plagued by delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inadequate\ncapacity \u2013 twin track where it should be four-track \u2013 results in choke points\nwhich force express and local stopping trains to jumble up, slowing everything\ndown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So,\none of my biggest priorities is to transform that line with the Trans-Pennine\nRoute Upgrade (TRU) which will result in faster, more frequent and more robust\nservices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today\nwe\u2019re releasing the first \u00a3589m of the scheme, to kickstart upgrade work\nbetween York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester. This money will speed up\ntrains and boost reliability by electrifying much of the line and doubling the\nnumber of tracks on congested stretches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\nwant it to be a first-class, fully-electrified railway with more four-tracking\nand room for freight, not an also-ran in comparison with the East and West\nCoast Mainlines. Travelling from Liverpool to Newcastle via Yorkshire should be\na smooth, seamless journey, not an obstacle course \u2013 and passengers will start\nto see the benefits in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TRU\nwill allow the economic heart of Yorkshire to beat more powerfully. People,\ncommerce and ideas will flow more freely. This is the payback for investment\nthat will climb into the billions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My\ndetermination to improve railway services in the short term drove the decision to\ntake over the failing train operator Northern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently,\nI\u2019ve announced some \u00a3250m to increase light rail services, expand cycle lanes\nand improve road safety in Yorkshire and the Humber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And\nwhen we \u201cbuild, build, build\u201d, as the Prime Minister promises, we want to build\ngreener. Covid-19 is a mortal threat. But climate change is an even greater one\nin the long term and we need to address it now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rail\nelectrification is one part of the solution, opening up the network to multiple\nenergy sources. And even as we improve the road network to ease congestion we\nare nurturing electric vehicles as the successors to petrol and diesel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\nwant this green revolution to improve health by encouraging cycling and\nwalking. As an example of this commitment, we have just spent \u00a31m in seed money\nto explore how the Queensbury Tunnel, a creation of the Victorian railway boom,\ncan be repurposed as a cycling and pedestrian link connecting Halifax and\nBradford. A snapshot of what we want to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For\ntoo long, big talk about the Northern Powerhouse has not been accompanied by\nbig action. As Northern Powerhouse Minister in the Cabinet, combining that role\nwith Transport Secretary, I believe we have to slash the red tape ensnaring\ninfrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So,\nanother part of my plan is something called the Northern Transport Acceleration\nCouncil, NTAC. This isn\u2019t some bureaucratic fig leaf but a doing organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s\na forum bringing together Northern mayors and council leaders with me or one of\nmy junior ministers to unblock infrastructure work. Hands on and task-led, it\nwill benefit from grassroots knowledge and a hotline to the highest level of\ngovernment, ensuring we can make a strong and unified case for investment. And\nit will be backed by DfT staff based here in the North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A\nlot of people in Yorkshire took a chance with the Conservatives at the last\nelection, forsaking old loyalties in the belief that we were sincere in our\nlevelling-up agenda, aimed at injecting fresh heart into Northern communities\nand giving them the tools \u2013 new infrastructure \u2013 to maximise their economic\npotential. We will repay that trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\nare on a journey. But not one that peters out in failed promises. This\nGovernment is promising a better future for the North and transport is at the\nheart of this pledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grant\nShapps is the Transport Secretary and Northern Powerhouse Minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/www.yorkshirepost.co.uk\/news\/opinion\/columnists\/lets-now-build-first-class-trans-pennine-rail-line-grant-shapps-2921151<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [Opinion piece by Grant Shapps, from the Yorkshire Post, 23rd July 2020] Action speaks louder than words. And when it comes to the history of transport infrastructure in Yorkshire, there has been a lot of the latter and not nearly enough … Continue reading