Harrogate MP's anger after town is 'totally ignored' in latest £15b transport investment for North
Harrogate’s MP has hit out at how the town’s railway system has been “left behind” in the Government’s £15 billion investment in transport in the North.
Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, welcomed the overall funding boost, but blasted ministers for once again overlooking passengers here.
Amid a flurry of Government spending announcements for cities across the North, Mr Gordon highlighted the absence of any plans to improve Harrogate rail services.
No extra funding for Harrogate.
No upgrades for the Harrogate – Knaresborough line.
The Harrogate – York line to remain in part a single-track diesel route, which limits frequency and capacity.
“This is a significant investment in public transport and it’s long overdue,” said Harrogate’s MP.
"But, while major projects are promised in West Yorkshire and beyond, there’s nothing for Harrogate, nothing for Knaresborough, and nothing for communities across North Yorkshire like ours.
"It’s not good enough. Harrogate and Knaresborough are growing towns with huge potential but we’re stuck with a single-track on part of the Leeds to York line that belongs in the last century.”
Major investments in light rail systems across city regions in the North were announced by Rachel Reeves in a speech at a bus factory in Rochdale – part of £15 billion for transport projects across the country.
It included more than £2 billion to fund a new mass transit system in West Yorkshire with “spades in the ground” by 2028, extending Greater Manchester’s tram system, bringing the Metro Link to Washington in the North East, and renewing South Yorkshire’s Supertram.
New rapid bus routes for the Liverpool city region and new bus stations in Wakefield and Bradford were also announced.
Harrogate’s MP Tom Gordon has been campaigning for investment to dual and electrify the railway line between Knaresborough and York, a crucial link for both commuters and regional growth, and says Labour’s plans were a missed opportunity for passengers in Harrogate.
“The Government could have chosen to back rail upgrades that would truly benefit people across our region,” he said.
"Instead, we’ve had yet another announcement that ignores North Yorkshire.”