Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Stephenson and Imran Hussain

Thursday 19th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)]

13. What steps his Department is taking to shorten rail journey times from Bradford to Leeds.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)]

As part of the integrated rail plan, the Government will be upgrading the Calder Valley line between Bradford Interchange and Leeds to reduce journey times from about 20 minutes today to as low as 12 minutes.

[Imran Hussain]

Last year, the Government scrapped Northern Powerhouse Rail, which would have run from Manchester to Leeds, through Bradford, stating that it was too expensive. At the same time, they ignored the plans set out by the Mayor of Greater Manchester to look at serious alternative funding models. Those same models got the £19 billion Crossrail project built for London. So can the Minister tell me why something that is good in the capital is apparently too good for places such as Bradford? Has he even considered the serious alternative proposals set out by the Mayor of Greater Manchester?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Stephenson and Imran Hussain

Thursday 4th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)]

2. What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of his policies on rail investment in the north of England on the Government’s levelling up agenda.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Stephenson)]

Investing £29 billion in transport across the north since 2010 has had a hugely positive impact on levelling up.

[Imran Hussain]

Building Northern Powerhouse Rail in full with a stop in Bradford city centre will help to transform Bradford’s economy and draw much-needed jobs and investment into the district, yet the Government are now believed to be scrapping the plans for NPR. Will the Minister give me some certainty today and either commit to the plan, or admit that the reality is that the Government have no intention of delivering real, transformative change to the economy and lives of people in West Yorkshire?

[Andrew Stephenson]

The hon. Gentleman will know that I know Bradford well, as I represent a constituency just down the road, on the sunny side of the hills. The Government are committed to supporting the aspirations of local leaders across West Yorkshire. We recognise that Bradford is an important economic centre in the north, with a growing and young population. We continue to look at the evidence for building a new station in Bradford, and decisions, as he knows, will be outlined in the integrated rail plan in due course.