Hull City Council has expressed its disappointment as the city was omitted in the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) announcement, which made no mention at all of rail services to and from Hull or electrification, which was promised as part of the Hull and East Yorkshire Devolution deal.
The council, alongside the city’s business community and other partners, has long supported and championed NPR and the electrification of the rail line to Hull, which would enhance rail services, improve reliability and energy efficiency, reduce operating costs and lower emissions.
The announcement that £1.1billion has been earmarked for design and preparation of the scheme and up to £45bn committed overall with nothing for Hull follows on from other mayoral areas receiving significant funding for their local transport priorities as part of the recent Spending Review.
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “NPR has been talked about for over a decade, yet Hull is still waiting for any sort of action on the commitment around electrification and when our residents, businesses and communities might see any benefits.
“Hull deserves to be treated on a par with other cities across the north of England.
“The importance of rail electrification cannot be overstated. It would be a huge step to improving connectivity to Hull and would help grow our local economy and provide our residents and visitors to the city with more reliable and sustainable travel options.
“As a council, we will continue to work collaboratively with partners across the region to ensure this becomes a reality and will be seeking urgent clarification on plans for electrification from the Government.”