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The North will be “short-changed” by Boris Johnson over rail upgrades, a Conservative MP has warned.
Philip Davies, the MP for Shipley, warned it would be a “massive disappointment and a huge missed opportunity” if a cross-country link between Manchester and Leeds, via Bradford, is not part of the plan announced later this week.
He joined a host of Conservative and Labour voices who have expressed their concern over suggestions the government may scale back its ambition on rail in favour of quick-fix schemes which will join up parts of the existing network.
While this may solve some of the issues around capacity and speed in parts of the North, MPs fear that without a new East-to-West link via Bradford, major cities will be left behind and young people will continue to leave for other better-connected areas.
Reports ahead of the major announcement on Thursday suggest part of the new eastern leg of HS2 will be scrapped, with the line stopping at East Midlands Parkway instead of Leeds, as previously planned.
Other sections of the existing rail route between Leeds and Sheffield and Manchester and Crewe will be upgraded, but a link between Manchester and Leeds, via Bradford, has not been confirmed.
A major part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan the prime minister has previously pledged to support, this link would improve access to major cities for people living in areas of high unemployment.
Mr Davies, whose constituency is just north of Bradford, said scrapping the link would be “completely unacceptable” and leave his constituents feeling let down.
But, amid claims the Treasury has forced a rethink of the plans over costs, he blamed political leaders in the Midlands and North for focusing too much attention on HS2 instead of Northern Powerhouse Rail’s East to West route.
“The issue has never been getting to London, the…
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Source : skynews
