Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport on 25 January, whether they have commissioned the further studies into the possible reinstatement and reopening of the Colne–Skipton railway line as part of a TransPennine freight line and for local passenger services; and if so, who is undertaking those studies.

Work is currently progressing and we expect to receive the results later this year to inform a decision as to whether the scheme should go to the ‘develop’ stage of the Government’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.

Local stakeholders, including the local MP Andrew Stephenson, have championed the scheme and we are working closely with Transport for the North to assess the proposed scheme and to ensure that it can be affordable, will attract sufficient traffic, and is part of the right long-term solution for cross Transpennine rail traffic.

This is part of our new approach to rail enhancements to ensure we address the needs of passengers and freight, and that funding commitments appropriately reflect the stage of development of schemes.