Extract from
Westminster Hall debate on the Colne to Skipton
Railway
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
(Paul Maynard):...A lot of attention goes on north-south
connectivity. It is not just a matter of HS2, but inter-city
services, too. East-west matters just as much in the north of
England. That is why we are supporting the idea of northern
powerhouse rail and look forward to the recommendations that
Transport for the North will come up with. There is also
the TransPennine operator for
services between Manchester and Leeds. As well as the investment
that we would hope to see one day in Skipton and Colne, should we
reach a point where we feel it can be reopened, all the railway
lines need improvement...
...We are delivering improvements across the region and undoubtedly
there are more to come. Over the next few years, we will see major
improvements to the Northern rail network, creating better journeys
for passengers, supporting trade, supporting investment and
creating a stronger economy. Through the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, we are
investing in modern trains, delivering more comfortable, more
frequent, faster and more direct journeys. All the Pacers will be
gone, replaced by a mix of brand new trains and refurbished trains
upgraded to an as-new standard. Passengers will notice that
transformative investment. We have already seen the impact the new
trains have had on services between Manchester and Liverpool
through electrification. It is a transformative new deal for the
franchise...
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Extract
from Wales Questions
(Neath)
(Lab/Co-op): The Welsh Labour Government have proved
that lasting economic success comes only through continued
investment in Welsh industry and infrastructure. Is there any
chance of progress on the electrification of the Great Western
Railway to Swansea, the north Wales growth plan and the HS2 hub
in Crewe before purdah kicks in?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
(Guto Bebb): The hon. Lady is right that investment in
infrastructure is absolutely crucial for the future of the Welsh
economy. That is why the Welsh Government should get on with work
on the M4 in south Wales and improve the A55 in north Wales. In
relation to rail infrastructure, electric trains will be on their
way to Swansea before the end of the year. More importantly, the
commitments that we have in Crewe will be absolutely crucial to
the development of north Wales. We had a meeting yesterday with
the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian C. Lucas) and my hon. Friend the
Member for Vale of Clwyd (Dr Davies) to ensure that north Wales
benefits from these investments.
