Lord Dave McCobb has described the upgrades as an ‘insult’ as it was revealed a new fleet of battery-powered trains will not offer East Yorkshire significantly improved journey times as he campaigns for full rail electrification
Train operating companies are looking forward to the improved fleet of trains and believe they bring many benefits beyond journey times(Image: TPE)
A high-tech £1-billion fleet of new battery-powered trains are only expected to cut many journey times by “up to a minute” between Hull and Leeds, it has been revealed. The region’s newest member of the House of Lords has described the new trains as “an insult” to local people, saying “our part of Yorkshire deserves better”.
Lord Dave McCobb, Hull and East Yorkshire Liberal Democrat Member of the House of Lords, is campaigning for the promised full rail electrification to the region. However, he has been left disappointed by the proposed battery-powered solution.
In September, the government announced that battery-powered electric trains could be serving East Yorkshire in less than ten years’ time following a £1-billion investment. The Department for Transport unveiled the plans, which will mean the more sustainable trains pulling into Hull’s Paragon Station by 2034.
The news was welcomed by local Labour MPs and Prime Minister Andy Burnham released a statement welcoming the innovation too. The trains should offer smoother journeys and reduce air pollution at Hull’s busy railway station as well.
But now Lord McCobb says he has discovered the new trains will not offer anything like the improved speed that full electrification would offer.
He has revealed correspondence that suggests journey times between a key travel corridor such as Hull to Leeds commutes will only be one minute faster. Lord McCobb does not believe this is good enough for East Yorkshire and is questioning whether the large investment offers value for taxpayers.
“Just one extra minute. Is that all the people of Hull and East Yorkshire are worth?,” he said.
“After years of promises, a devolution deal that committed to improve travel times and a billion-pound announcement, Hull is being offered just one minute off the journey to Leeds – and we’ll wait up to eight years to get it.”
Lord McCobb described the proposed new trains as ‘an insult’ and that they will make little difference for busy commuters, adding that the region would be left behind.
“This is an insult to every commuter, traveller and business in East Yorkshire. We were promised electrification by the last Conservative government and again by this Labour government. It’s there in black and white in our signed devolution deal,” he said.
“Earlier this week Hull’s Labour MPs were writing letters cheering these new battery powered trains, as though they were the answer to improving Hull’s connections across the Pennines. Now their own minister has confirmed they will make virtually no difference to the Hull to Leeds travel times, and are up to eight years away. It’s an outrage, and our part of Yorkshire deserves better.”
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The resilient Lord McCobb is not giving up. “I will keep pressing ministers until Hull and East Yorkshire get the faster travel times we were promised. Our area has waited long enough,” he added.
In a written answer to Lord McCobb questions, Rail Minister Lord Hendy stated that the battery-electric trains will save ‘up to a minute’ on Hull to Leeds travel times, and five to six minutes between Hull and Manchester. He also confirmed that the trains may not be running on Hull services until December 2034.
In the Hull & East Yorkshire Devolution Deal agreed by both the previous and current governments, a clear commitment was given to ‘electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull to Leeds and Hull to Sheffield’ in order to cut the journey between Leeds and Hull from 58 to 48 minutes; and from Hull to Manchester from 107 to 84 minutes.
Andy Burnham thinks the new trains will improve reliability
Train operating companies are looking forward to the improved fleet of trains and believe they bring many benefits beyond journey times. Chris Jackson, managing director at TransPennine Express, spoke out when the investment was announced and claimed the new battery trains will be ‘transformational’ for Hull.
He said: “Our customers will benefit from more seats and better accessibility, including level boarding. Britain has a proud railway heritage, and this project puts the UK at the forefront of the next generation of cleaner rail technology.”
The new trains will be built at Alstom in Derby. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously shared his view that the new trains will help decarbonise rail travel across northern England, boost reliability and help deliver growth.
He said: “These 29 new trains will bring faster, more reliable journeys to the North, and thousands of British jobs for the next generation. It’s exactly what Great British Railways is all about – taking back control of the basics and getting Britain believing again.”
Former Hull City Councillor Dave McCobb was officially introduced to the House of Lords in September 2026, becoming Lord McCobb. He now sits as the Liberal Democrats ‘ first ever Hull-based parliamentarian.
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