Response to comments by the Secretary of State for Transport on Crossrail 2 and TransPennine Electrification

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said:

“It’s deeply concerning that just days after Chris Grayling hinted at abandoning the TransPennine line electrification, he has wholeheartedly thrown his support behind Crossrail 2.

“For years passengers have had to pay for a slow and overcrowded service on the TransPennine Express, often taking over an hour to travel what is a relatively short distance between Leeds and Manchester.

“There have been delays, pauses and now an apparent backing away completely from electrification, while at the same time spending billions on a completely new line in London. Where has the commitment to the Northern Powerhouse gone?

“Towns and cities across the north have to make clear exactly how unacceptable it would be to abandon this. People in the north deserve a much fairer share of the transport funds available nationally and I will be working with other northern council leaders and mayors to make that case as robustly as we can.”

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