Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had during 2016 with local authorities, campaign groups, train operators, potential investors and any other interested parties on reinstating the rail link between Colne and Skipton.

Interested parties have raised reinstatement of this link in correspondence and in meetings with Ministers and officials in the Department for Transport on a number of occasions this year. In particular, my Ministerial colleague Andrew Jones, Member of Parliament for Harrogate, met the Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) and representatives of the SELRAP campaign group in July.

In line with our devolution policies, it is for the relevant local transport authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships to decide whether to take forward reinstatement of this link to support regional economic connectivity and growth, and to secure appropriate funding. The Government makes substantial funding available to local bodies, including through the Local Growth Fund, to support them in delivering their priorities. The Department, and Rail North/Transport for the North, are ready to work with these local bodies should they wish to progress this scheme.