The Mayor of West Yorkshire and leader of Leeds City Council have written (full letter attached) to the Prime Minister, urging him to ensure land around Leeds Station continues to be safeguarded.
The land was earmarked for the HS2 high speed rail route through Stourton and Hunslet until the eastern leg of HS2 was axed in 2021. As we have reported previously an extension to the station was planned for HS2 stretching out across the River Aire in the area of Asda House.
It is understood that a decision to release the land could be taken imminently – before a key study into rail connectivity between the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East has even begun.
Leeds Station is at capacity, and land to the south could provide space for expansion – boosting economic growth across West Yorkshire and improving reliability across the rail network in the North.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said:
“Failing to expand the capacity at Leeds Station would hold West Yorkshire and the North’s economy back for decades to come.
“We’re an economic powerhouse desperate to grow further – I’m calling on the Government to sit down and work with us to find a solution.
“Don’t force us to fight with one hand tied behind our back as we seek to create a better-connected North.”
Cllr James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said:
“The value of our city’s station to our economy as well as that of Yorkshire and the North cannot be overstated, and yet we are already approaching capacity.
“We must protect the limited opportunities we have to ensure the station and railway infrastructure in central Leeds can continue to grow in order to meet ever-increasing passenger demand and not become a bottleneck for other significant new schemes such as the welcome new station for Bradford and Northern Powerhouse Rail.
“It is vital that safeguarding restrictions on land around the station are extended until the current study is completed, to help ensure that opportunities to better connect our city with the wider region and the rest of the country are not lost through short-sighted decision making.”
Read the full letter here: 240304 Letter to the Prime Minister from the Mayor of West Yorkshire and Leader of Leeds City Council
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Combined Authority
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