Northern political and business have condemned what they call the Government’s ‘broken promises’ on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and called on Rishi Sunak to deliver the project in full.
According to the BBC, the prime minister's official spokesman indicated that he would abandon ‘additional commitments’ made by Liz Truss, who pledged to build the scheme ‘in full’ including a new station in Bradford, and would stick to the cut-down version in last November’s Integrated Rail plan.
The spokesman said: ‘The Government is of the view that this approach will deliver those benefits sooner than under alternative plans.’
In a letter to The Times, a group including northern metro mayors and sub-national transport body Transport for the North, wrote: ‘The news that the government does not intend to honour its promises over Northern Powerhouse Rail leaves the north of England stuck in a cycle of never-ending broken promises on transport investment.
‘For years, prime ministers and transport secretaries have promised to construct Northern Powerhouse Rail, and for years these promises have been watered down, or broken, on a loop. This is not an acceptable way to treat more than 15 million people in the north who face daily delays, slow journeys and last-minute cancellations as standard.’
They added: ‘Levelling up requires investment in our regions. Yet over the past decade, if the north had received the same level of transport investment as London, it would have received £86 billion more. Investing in our localities and regions — in infrastructure, services and people — is how we can best grow the economy.
‘The PM must break this endless cycle, and build Northern Powerhouse Rail in full, with a new station in Bradford, once and for all.’
The signatories included Jamie Driscoll, Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard, Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham, metro mayors for North of Tyne, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester combined authorities respectively, and Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe.
Also signing the letter were Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, and Martin Tugwell and Lord McLoughlin, respectively chief executive and chair of Transport for the North.
