
Mark Roberts to step down as Interim LEP Chair
During his time as Interim Chair, Mark has worked closely with the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, to ensure businesses across the region have been supported through challenging circumstances.
A senior West Yorkshire politician is calling on Network Rail to permanently fix a fault affecting “lifeline” rail services near Wakefield.
16 January 2023
A senior West Yorkshire politician is calling on Network Rail to permanently fix a fault affecting “lifeline” rail services near Wakefield.
Horbury Junction suffered a broken rail on December 28, affecting services from Leeds, Castleford, and Wakefield to Barnsley, Sheffield, Nottingham and Lincoln.
A temporary fix for the track has now been created to bring services back to normal, but permanent repairs at the junction are still thought to be months away.
“We want the rail industry to get a move on and to fix this stretch of track once and for all.
“This temporary work was urgently needed, particularly for passengers travelling between Barnsley and Wakefield, and I have been impressed with the swift work from engineers.
“But this shows the vital need for investment to ensure the rail network is resilient. The initial concern of months of disruption underlines that reliable rail services are a lifeline for our smaller towns and cities, and we need to ensure they continue into the future.”
During his time as Interim Chair, Mark has worked closely with the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, to ensure businesses across the region have been supported through challenging circumstances.
West Yorkshire has been recognised as one of the ‘Top Tier’ authorities in the country by Active Travel England, leading the way in providing cycling and walking opportunities for people across the region.
Mayor Tracy Brabin’s plans for a better-connected West Yorkshire have taken an important step forward at a Combined Authority meeting in Leeds today (Thursday).