The electrification of lines around Hull could be privately funded
Hull Paragon Interchange(Image: Donna Clifford/HullLive)
Conversations are ongoing within government about how to deliver rail electrification to Hull, a local MP has said. Many in the region were frustrated to see the electrification of lines to Hull being excluded from the recent Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement.
After the region was left out of the infrastructure improvements set out in the Government’s plans, local leaders have pointed to the Hull and East Yorkshire Devolution Deal which states: “The Government will bring Hull into Northern Powerhouse Rail, electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull to Leeds and Hull to Sheffield.”
Since the Northern Powerhouse Rail plans were revealed, two letters have been sent to key Government figures by local leaders expressing deep frustrations. A letter co-signed by Mayor Luke Campbell and the leader of East Riding Council, Cllr Anne Handley, claimed the Government’s “failure to engage Hull and East Yorkshire ahead of this announcement was extremely discourteous.”
Similarly, in a letter, the leader of Hull City Council Cllr Mike Ross, said: “Our city and region are simply not prepared to be ignored. Hull deserves to be treated on a par with other cities across the North of England and we will be making the case for this to the Government.”
In a new development, the MP for Hull North and Cottingham, Dame Diana Johnson, has announced: “Hull MPs are in ongoing conversations within government and with key stakeholders around the Humber about how we can build on last week’s Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement, honour the commitment to Hull rail electrification in our Devolution Deal and eliminate polluting diesel from passenger trains serving Hull.
“The technology involved in electrifying these rail lines has moved on over the past decade and is now less costly than when the then Tory Government blocked the previous privately financed attempt at Hull rail electrification in 2016. At the same time, we know that private investors are keen to put tens of billions into boosting the Humber economy. Now is the time to move forward.”
When approached by Hull Live the Government’s Department for Transport did not explicitly confirm many such discussions with MPs but did insist: “Hull will benefit from the £11 billion Transpennine Route Upgrade which is well underway and will reduce journey times across the North. While the whole of the North will benefit from faster and more frequent journeys east to west, our plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail commit to regular onward services to Hull, and we will work closely with Mayors to consider improvements to those routes.”
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