25.07.17
TransPennine electrification and Piccadilly upgrade now also in doubt
Transport authorities in West Yorkshire have said it is “very disappointing” that electrification may not be completed along the entire TransPennine route as planned.
Last Friday, transport secretary Chris Grayling announced the cancellation of key parts of three major electrification projects on the Great Western route, the Midland Main Line and the line between Windermere and Oxenholme.
The news also comes after the secretary of state publicly stated that he would back plans for the next phase of the Crossrail 2 project, prompting many to argue that investment was being unfairly weighted in favour of London and the south east.
Electrification of the TransPennine route was due to be completed in 2018, but was “delayed indefinitely” back in June 2015, which Transport for the North argued was a huge concern for the region. The scheme was then ‘unpaused’ in October of the same year, much to the relief of – and inevitable backlash from – suppliers and local authorities.
But in a statement to MPs in the Commons last Friday, Grayling said that it may be “too difficult” to proceed with electrification along the entire TransPennine route from Leeds to Manchester.
Much like with the other cancelled schemes, he argued that the introduction of new bi-mode trains meant that electrification was not needed, since the units could travel on parts of the existing network on diesel as well as on the electrified sections.
He told the Daily Telegraph in an interview that the government is not abandoning electrification altogether, but “using [it] where it makes a difference”, meaning current plans would be curtailed and full electrification would be unlikely.
According to the Financial Times, Grayling said during a visit to Manchester on Friday: “If there are bits of the TransPennine network that are complicated to do and we have a bi-mode train, we can say: ‘here is a section we can have a diesel’. We will be electrifying TransPennine but we can do it in a smarter way.”
He also let slip that plans to build two more platforms at the major Manchester Piccadilly station as part of the Northern Hub project would be reviewed, adding: “I want them [Network Rail] to see if it is question of additional platforms or whether they can do something with digital technology that actually increases capacity.”
Major backlash across the north
Leaders of Northern authorities have slammed the decision, claiming that they felt Grayling was “warming us up for bad news”.
“The transport secretary’s recent comments appear to pre-empt Network Rail’s work concluding this autumn and hints at broken promises that will mean faster journeys and improved productivity in the north created through rail improvements are derailed,” said Cllr Keith Wakefield, West Yorkshire Combined Authority transport chair.
“Improving rail routes from Leeds to Manchester is integral to reducing journey times and improving efficiency and connectivity between two key hubs of the Northern Powerhouse.
“It is very disappointing to hear the transport secretary’s comments ahead of the work being concluded. If the secretary of state is warming us up for bad news, this makes a mockery of the government’s ambitions to rebalance the economy of the country and once again government seem to be going short-sighted in the north.”
He also urged the government not to go back on its promises to electrify this route and to improve rail services for business, workers and residents from the Leeds City Region.
“We would ask the transport secretary to give his commitment to this scheme and to use his Autumn Budget to provide the necessary investment needed to take it forward,” Cllr Wakefield concluded.
In an open letter to Grayling, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham revealed that he read “with surprise and disappointment” the comments the transport secretary had made in his Manchester visit about the “potential ‘downgrade’ of the electrification of the rail line between Manchester and Leeds and changes to the plans to upgrade Piccadilly station”.
“The electrification of the line across the North is critical to the delivery of your government’s promise of a Northern Powerhouse,” he argued. “The north has suffered from a lack of investment compared to the rest of the country and has had to put up with second class transport for too long.
“I’m sure I don't need to remind you that both electrification and the enhancement of Piccadilly were firm promises by your government. If they are now not going ahead, as your comments yesterday seemed to indicate, that would represent a major broken promise to the people of Greater Manchester and the north, and the derailment of the Northern Powerhouse.
“Your comments yesterday were all the more surprising given there was no mention of this in your written ministerial statement to Parliament on Thursday.”
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