Blogs and Briefings
Full steam ahead for Rail in the North
Connect Consultant Tom Denney, who provides the Secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Rail in the North Group, reports from the group’s annual reception in the House of Commons
4 November
Last week the All Party Parliamentary Rail in the North Group met in the House of Commons for their Annual Reception, an event organised by Connect which brought together parliamentarians and key figures in the rail industry to highlight the four key priorities that the group sees as paramount for improving the rail system and securing economic growth for the North:
- Securing additional trains and carriages to ease overcrowding;
- Further electrification of the rail network across the North;
- A fully funded Northern Hub project;
- The construction of high speed rail to link London and the North.
The reception was addressed by the Rail Minister Theresa Villiers, who praised the work of the group, adding that it was a very timely creation and makes the case for greater investment in northern rail within Parliament very forcefully.
In her speech she outlined how despite the deficit, the Government has embarked upon a major programme of rail improvements, generating real benefits for the North. In particular she highlighted the £300 million programme of electrification in the North West over the next 6 years, upgrading crucial routes between Manchester, Liverpool, and Wigan.
Responding to the Minister’s words, chair of the group Julie Hilling MP said that the year ahead offered a number of opportunities for the group to influence decision making, adding that she fully intended to “continue to work on a cross-party basis to keep the pressure up as there is a real danger that the North’s needs are ignored as other priorities closer to Westminster takes centre stage”.
At the event the Group also launched their new publication calling for further investment in the Northern rail network, entitled Fair Investment, Better Services, More Economic Growth. The pamphlet, including contributions from the Rail Minister, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Angela Eagle and the Chair of the Transport Select Committee Louise Ellman, as well as the groups sponsors, explores the key policy issues affecting rail transport in the regions and discusses how improvements to the North’s railways can be made.
The pamphlet can be downloaded here.
If you would like to find out more about the group, contact Tom Denney on 020 7222 3533 or t.denney@connectpa.co.uk
