PM defends £45bn rail upgrade plans that exclude Hull
‘HULL WILL BENEFIT FROM JOURNEY AS A WHOLE’: Sir Keir Starmer. Picture credit: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Hull will benefit from a planned £45bn upgrade of Northern railways despite the city not being directly included in the project.
The Department for Transport announced the planned investment on Wednesday under a revived Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) scheme that will see major infrastructure upgrades and improved connections between cities including Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, York, Bradford and Sheffield.
But there was disappointment across the political divide in Hull and region after the hoped for electrification of the line between Hull and Selby was omitted from the scheme – an idea campaigned on for more than a decade by business leaders and politicians who see it as vital for the region’s economy.
Sir Keir has now insisted rail passengers from Hull will benefit – as long as they are travelling “across the Pennines”.
In an interview with ITV Calendar, it was suggested to the Prime Minister he was “leaving Hull behind”.
Sir Keir said: “No, Hull will benefit from what we’re doing.”
Asked how, he said: “…If you’re travelling from Hull to other places, across to Manchester or Liverpool, then obviously the journey as a whole will be better. So there are benefits to Hull and it’s really important that we make sure there are those benefits.”
Reporter Fred Dimbleby said: “I’ll ask you finally, though – the people of Hull, they have been campaigning so long for a new line, for electrification; it’s not in this plan. You’re saying they will benefit but they won’t feel that watching this tonight.”
MISSED OUT: Hull’s Paragon Station. Picture credit: Nigel Thompson
Sir Keir said: “I think they will benefit in the sense that if they are making that journey it will be a better journey for them. But we have to do this in a phased way.”
“But not to help Hull,” the reporter said.
Sir Keir said: “Well, I do think it will help Hull in the sense that if you’re going from Hull on that journey across the Pennines that will be a better journey for everybody starting in Hull or finishing in Hull.”
The three Hull Labour MPs – Dame Diana Johnson (Hull North and Cottingham), Karl Turner (Hull East) and Emma Hardy (Hull West and Haltemprice) – issued a joint statement broadly welcoming the announcement but saying they “still believe that there is a strong economic case for upgrading the rail link from the Humber ports”.
They also noted that the recent Hull and East Yorkshire devolution deal committed to electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull and Leeds and Hull and Sheffield.
The statement said: “We agree with the Government that for the UK to boost productivity and achieve higher economic growth the Humber, like the rest of the North, needs sustained investment in skills, jobs and in improving our transport connectivity and capacity – for passengers and freight.
“It is clear from the Northern Powerhouse Rail investment announced today that this Government understands the potential of Northern England and the Humber for unlocking this growth – unlike the previous Tory Government who blocked a privately financed initiative for Hull rail electrification nearly ten years ago.
“However, we still believe that there is a strong economic case for upgrading the rail link from the Humber ports on the east coast across the Pennines to the port City of Liverpool – working as necessary to leverage in private investment where public funding is insufficient to fully realise the vision of the Northern Growth Corridor and the Government’s aspiration for economic growth.
“The Humber Green Energy Estuary, so central to achieving Net Zero, must surely not be an area that relies indefinitely on ‘bi-modal’ trains and we note that the Hull and East Yorkshire Devolution Deal committed to electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull to Leeds and Hull to Sheffield.
“Hull and Humber MPs have campaigned cross-party alongside businesses and councils for many years to make the case for better connectivity for Hull and the Humber. This work will continue.”
The scheme “prioritise” upgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-York and Leeds-Bradford to “transform commutes” in the first phase, and a new line connecting Liverpool and Manchester in the second.
The third phase will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds, and “explore options” for Manchester to Bradford. There is no change for lines in and out of Hull.
Luke Campbell, the Reform UK Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, called the plans a “let down”, while Councillor Mike Ross, Liberal Democrat leader of Hull City Council, said he was “deeply disappointed”.