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Leeds-Harrogate-York rail line up for electrification

Leeds-Harrogate-York rail line has been classified as a tier one scheme for electrification ccording to a new report, which has been welcomed by Harrogate Borough Council.

Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport received ‘Northern Sparks’, a report of the North of England Electrification Task Force which prioritises the order for the electrification for those sections of the North of England rail network which are not included in current industry plans.

Thirty-two lines of the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchise areas which are currently without electrification have been considered and prioritised.

The taskforce, chaired by Harrogate MP Andrew Jones, has grouped the lines into three tiers, with tier one being the most immediate priority.

Councillor Rebecca Burnett, Harrogate Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport said: “The progress being made on improving the Leeds-Harrogate-York line is remarkable.

“We are getting two-hourly services to London with the new East Coast franchise; we will get new carriages, free wi-fi and better services with the new Northern Rail franchise; and now our line has been given top priority status for electrification.

“This is fantastic news as electrification would bring much faster trains, even better rolling stock and even better services, as well as being a catalyst for further investment which will bring benefits to our local economy.

“When I joined Andrew Jones and our local partners to launch the business case for electrification 18 months ago we knew we had a good case to present.

“The taskforce’s report confirms this and puts the scheme at the top of the list for when Government funding is allocated. This is a welcome development as the council continues to prioritise congestion reduction.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .