Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was in York today – and said the city has ‘massive potential’.
Ms Alexander was in the city to sign the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) compact.
The agreement commits the Government to £1.1 billion in spending to accelerate designing and planning work, as part of setting a £45 billion funding cap to deliver the programme.
The first phase of the NPR programme will focus on faster and more frequent connections between York and Leeds, and onwards to Sheffield and Bradford with a turn up and go rail service.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “This is a huge moment for York, putting us at the heart of a once in a generation investment in the North.
“Today’s commitment set’s us on the path to faster trains for people to get to work and training, visit family, or enjoy a day out and marks a vote of confidence in York and North Yorkshire’s place in growing the economy for the North and the whole UK.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said it was her second time in York in a couple of months.
“I’ve seen the massive potential that exists around this station with the York Central regeneration project.
“So I’m really pleased to be able to work as a Labour government with a Labour mayor to make sure that we’re properly investing in rail infrastructure.
“People in the North of England have had to put up with a second rate public transport system for far too long.
“It’s right that people can get the sort of train service that you people in London and the South East have enjoyed in the last few years – a turn up and go service where you’re not faffing around with timetables, worrying about when the next train is going to be.
“I don’t think people in the North of England should have to put up with that. Northern Powerhouse Rail will deliver a true turn-up-and-go railway for passengers going between York and cities across the North.”
The mininster added: “This isn’t just about trains, though. It’s about giving people better access to jobs, better access to opportunities, being able to build the homes with a good public transport system alongside them.”
