The Rail Minister Huw Merriman has agreed to talk to Red Wall MPs as a step in getting approval for the restoration of the strategic trans-Pennine railway line from Skipton to Colne railway line.
The Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) says it is “Much Encouraged” by the Rail Minister's statement. In his response to an obviously scripted question from Sarah Britcliffe MP, the minister promised to meet MPs who represent constituencies along the route to discuss making progress to the next stage of development.
For some time, SELRAP has been pressing for Ministers and MPs to make a decision to progress with the reopening, but an ongoing Treasury block on any new funding commitments has always prevented making any further progress.
The Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership recently reiterated to politicians that the communities of East Lancashire are both hard-pressed and now have the unwanted claim as having worse levels of economic and social deprivation than anywhere else in England.
Reacting to the news from Parliament, Peter Bryson, the Chair of the Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership said “We are much encouraged to hear this announcement. It was a carefully worded question, but more importantly, a rehearsed response and it surely means that, at last, East Lancashire will get some proper Levelling Up.”
Peter Bryson continued by warning that East Lancashire needs more than words. He said: We, SELRAP and the voters of East Lancashire, will be holding this Government's feet to the fire. There will need to be some real progress to convince us that this isn't just yet more hollow promises to East Lancashire and we look forward to working at pace with the Minister and his Department for Transport to get on with linking East Lancashire to the jobs and opportunities of the Powerhouse cities of Leeds and Bradford.”
Closed in 1970 by Harold Wilsons Labour Government that destroyed our railways between October 1964 and June 1970.Closed more lines than the Tories could ever dream about.All those thousands of working class jobs destroyed by a Labour Government that is supposed to look after the working class!
With flipflop Sunak in charge expect nowt. We were originally promised an all electric railway from Liverpool via Leeds to Hull. Yet another pipe dream!
The idea that this will go anywhere is laughable. SELRAP, prepare yourselves for more disappointment. The minister can make as many encouraging noises as he likes in the last year of a government. He won’t have to do anything of the things he says.
The hapless Rail Minister is utterly powerless in the face of his PM’s open antipathy towards rail. Sunak and Harper transport policy is all about drivers and potholes.