Hopes that a planned northern high-speed railway line may include Bradford after all have been raised after the new rail minister said he was still “working on options” to link in the city.
Huw Merriman said he was “committed to local consultation” and “passionate about delivering better services” to Bradford, whose removal from the future high-speed rail map last year provoked uproar in the north.
However, he added that the decision would remain in Treasury hands, with supporters of infrastructure projects including HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) fearing further cuts in next week’s spending review under the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.
The fate of the NPR line has been mired in confusion in the year since the government appeared to tear up the plans agreed by northern leaders in its integrated rail plan.
Last month, Liz Truss, during her tenure as prime minister, reaffirmed a campaign commitment to build the line in full, including a stop in Bradford. However, she left office before her comments could be fully clarified and last week the former transport secretary, Grant Shapps, now business secretary, said there “wasn’t really much point” in building NPR in full.
Merriman told the Rail Industry Association conference in London that Rishi Sunak, now prime minister, had over the summer “talked about options for an assessment for Bradford, and that’s the work I’m doing right now”.
“He said we’re going to work up options and see what we can do, and that’s what I’ve been doing over the last week or two – to see what they are and if it’s something we can actually proceed with,” Merriman said.
He added: “Of course the Liz Truss plan was a very different plan from that which was published and from what Rishi Sunak has said. But I’m committing to ensuring that local leaders would be consulted. I want to make sure we have the business case assessed, and look again.
“I am passionate about delivering better services to connect our cities together, and Bradford is a good example – I really want to see the regeneration of Bradford.”
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said he welcomed Merriman’s appointment and comments, adding: “Whether or not you support a full high-speed line through Bradford to Manchester, a new station here makes sense. The integrated rail plan is not a credible path to proceed on.
“We hope the new rail minister will reach a more sensible position because, between the U-turns and flip-flops, we need to make some progress.”
Louise Haigh, Labour’s shadow transport secretary, joined local leaders in Bradford on Thursday to highlight the merits of a new station. She said: “A lost decade of broken Tory promises has left the north with second-rate infrastructure, and rail services in crisis, holding the economy back.”
Haigh accused Sunak of preparing to “abandon NPR at the first opportunity”, adding: “Labour will deliver this transformational project in full.”
