The leader of the council is to write to the Government to make Hull’s case
Northern Rail train in Hull Paragon Station(Image: Hull Daily Mail)
Councillors on Hull City Council have unanimously backed a motion calling for the Government to include Hull in rail infrastructure improvements. It follows a sense of disappointment locally with the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement.
Earlier in the week, the Government set out multi-billion pound plans to transform rail across the North. The plans, which see improvements being made to Leeds, Sheffield, and York stations, largely overlook Hull beyond the promise of “improved services.”
Locally, politicians from across the political spectrum have long campaigned for rail electrification. When the Hull and East Yorkshire Devolution Deal was signed, it appeared such campaigning had been fruitful with the Devolution Deal stating:
“The Government will bring Hull into Northern Powerhouse Rail, electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull to Leeds and Hull to Sheffield. This will cut the journey between Leeds and Hull from 58 to 48 minutes; and from Hull to Manchester from 107 to 84 minutes. This will enable 2 fast trains an hour to Leeds, double trains between Hull and Sheffield from 1 to 2 per hour and enable capacity to double.”
During the council meeting, council leader, Cllr Mike Ross, referenced the Devolution Deal, telling councillors: “It’s there in black and white. All the Government needs to do is set out the how and when.”
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However, the three phases of work announced in the Northern Powerhouse Rail plans, which include new lines or line upgrades between cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds, offer no such improvements as far east as Hull. The “improved services” to and from Hull will instead “continue on existing infrastructure,” according to the plans. This has led Cllr Ross to conclude the Government are “not holding up their side of the deal.”
At a full council meeting, the council’s portfolio holder for transport, Cllr Mark Ieronimo, brought forward a motion asking his Liberal Democrat colleague, Cllr Mike Ross, to write to the Transport Secretary and the Treasury’s northern growth envoy seeking confirmation that Hull will get “fair and proper funding in to the rail infrastructure serving the city.”
An amendment was brought forward by the Labour Party’s Cllr Patrick Wilkinson. The amendment, which was accepted and added to the motion, called for the leader of the council, group leaders and the Chief Executive to write to the three Hull Labour MPs seeking their support in making this case.