13.04.16
MP calls for HS3 to extend to South Yorkshire
HS3 must be extended to include South Yorkshire as a critical necessity in the redevelopment and economic resilience of the north of England,the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge said in a House of Commons debate.
Angela Smith said that HS3, which received the green light in the most recent Budget, should include a tunnelled rail link through Penistone to connect Leeds and Hull with Sheffield and Rotherham in order to improve trans-Pennine rail links.
She said better trans-Pennine rail links were necessary to improve the train journeys between Manchester and Sheffield, which she said currently go at less than 50mph and are 2.3% over capacity at peak time.
Smith said: “We have heard that the government plan an HS3 route from Manchester to Leeds, and I need to make it clear and put it on the record that any such project cannot be allowed to miss out South Yorkshire.
“It is absolutely critical to the economic resilience and redevelopment of the north of England that the new rail route serves South Yorkshire and potentially the south bank of the Humber as much as it serves Leeds and the north bank of the Humber.”
Andrew Jones, parliamentary under-secretary for transport, said that the options laid out in the Transport for the North report included South Yorkshire, and that the government would supply a more detailed overview of the work needed for the different options by the end of the year.
He added that other improvements to the northern rail network included transferring the Northern franchise to Arriva, giving First Group sole control of the TransPennine Express franchise and Network Rail proposals to extend the Hope Valley line, which will be subject to a public inquiry in Dore from 10 May.
In 2014 Smith criticised the transfer of nine Class 170s from TransPennine to Chiltern Railways, saying 'the north would suffer'.
(Image c. Michael Fox)