Lord Blunkett appointed as chair of White Rose Rail board
The organisation includes the Mayors of South, North, and West Yorkshire, the Departments for Transport and Treasury, alongside Network Rail, in an ongoing attempt to improve rail connectivity across the region.
Holding its inaugural meeting on 12 June, the aim is deliver the Northern Powerhouse Rail ambitions by working in collaboration. In January, the government pledged £45bn towards improving east-west rail connectivity across the country.
Lord Blunkett’s involvement follows a report he published in May last year, the Yorkshire Plan for Rail, which concluded that £14bn over a 10-year period would be needed to improve Yorkshire’s ‘creaking’ train network.
Yorkshire is central to phase one of the NPR, with early stages focusing on electrification and upgrades between Sheffield and Leeds, supporting up to four fast trains an hour and significantly improving reliability and capacity on the route.
In West Yorkshire, the focus is on quicker and more frequent links between Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, and York, as well as the long-awaited new through rail station at Bradford – a decision on which is expected this summer.
Upgrades to York station will also unlock faster, more reliable ‘turn up and go’ services across the North, improving connections to Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford while supporting the visitor economy and wider region.
Lord Blunkett said: “Following the signing of the White Rose Agreement in the spring of last year, the development of the Rail Plan for Yorkshire, and the government announcement about the programme of investment for Northern Powerhouse Rail, I’m really pleased to be re-engaging with the three elected mayors for South, West and North Yorkshire.
“Having chaired the development of the plan submitted to government a year ago, I’m very pleased to have been asked to pick up again as chair of the newly constituted Rail Board and to be working with Oliver Coppard, Tracy Brabin, and David Skaith and their teams, together with representatives of the Treasury, Department for Transport and, crucially, the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy.
“Together with external partners, including Network Rail, I’m certain that we can develop a timetable and programme of delivery which will dramatically improve the connectivity, reliability, and speed of travel for the people of Yorkshire and our connection across the Pennines, and to the north and south of our area.
“Crucial milestones will now be developed, the allocation of resources firmed up, and there will be key alignment with the government’s recently announced Growth Strategy for the North of England – together with the jobs, development of skills, partnership with business and local authorities, which are so crucial to making delivery happen.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Yorkshire is at the front of the queue on Northern Powerhouse Rail. The first phase will deliver our ambition for four fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Leeds. Working together – with our fellow Mayors across Yorkshire and beyond, government and industry partners – we are building a rail network that works for us here in Yorkshire and sets us up for the future.”
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “We made the case as Yorkshire Mayors that we needed better connectivity between our biggest cities – and the government listened. Improvements to our rail network are desperately needed.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “Upgrading capacity at York station and Northern Powerhouse Rail puts York and North Yorkshire at the heart of a modern, fast, and reliable transport network. This is a once-in-a-generation investment that will unlock better connections for everyone who lives, works, or visits our beautiful county.”
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “For too long the North has been held back by underinvestment and a rail network that isn’t good enough. Together with mayors and industry partners, this government has a plan to turn this tide and finally give the region the transport links it needs and deserves.
“Our £45bn investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail will deliver faster, more frequent services across the region to unlock jobs, economic growth, and homes – helping to add up to £40bn a year to our economy. Alongside this, we are investing £11bn in the TransPennine Route Upgrade to deliver faster journeys, increase capacity, and improve stations between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.”
