Councillor Daren Hale will call for joint working across parties and with the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor to finally achieve rail electrification from Hull to Selby.
Electrification of the Hull to Selby stretch of rail has been promised a number of times by previous governments as far back as 2015, but each time it has been cancelled or stopped.
Labour Councillors and the Hull MPs have been lobbying for this project for almost 10 years and hope that now this can be seen as a critical transport priority for the region.
Councillor Hale also welcomed the news that the Orchard Park Ward in the city has been identified as one of the ‘Trail Blazer’ areas in the Labour Government’s recent Spending review and will receive up to £20,000,000 over the next ten years to make improvements in the ward for residents.
Councillor Hale said:
“This modest project to electrify the line between Hull and Selby was always a quick win in terms of infrastructure levelling up and should have been nailed on a decade ago, but the Tory Government cancelled these Transport for the North Plans at the 11th hour.
“Previous governments have promised it but then failed the people of this area and held back inward investment as a result. I want everyone to work together on this and build upon the solid lobbying that the council, local businesses and our three MPs have been doing”
“I have, today, written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Transport Secretary asking for this to be a priority project, as Government Departments have received their new financial budgets.
“Previous governments have promised it but then failed the people of this area and held back inward investment as a result. I want everyone to work together on this and build upon the solid lobbying that the council, local businesses and our three MPs have been doing.
“This is a win-win for us. The new Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor also has a major role and can act as a driver alongside both local Councils and I call upon him to do so.
“I also want to thank the Chancellor for choosing the Orchard Park Ward for £20,000,000 of investment over the next 10 years. It could be a game changer for local residents there and we must now make sure we get the biggest bang for the bucks in that area, and this is the beginning of more cash coming to areas of Hull and Areas of the North.”