Response to the Queen's Speech 2019
The December Queen's Speech saw the Government commit to prioritising infrastructure investment and a number of major investments in the railway.
19 December 2019
Today's Queen's Speech saw the Government commit to prioritising infrastructure investment and a number of major investments in the railway.
Responding to the Queen’s Speech, Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority transport lead, said:
“We look forward to seeing the detail of the Williams Review and in particular how the Government’s commitment to greater local control over rail services will be translated into clear roles and responsibilities and how it will be funded.
“However, reform of management processes alone will not fix the failings of the North’s rail network which requires major investment to address the capacity crisis we continue to face.
“The UK needs both HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail with a Bradford city centre station, an upgraded trans-Pennine route and improved resilience on the East Coast Main Line, to deliver the modern, reliable rail network that this new Government is promising.
“We will continue to call on the Government to create a rail system for the North of England, led by the North, as the Prime Minister rightly acknowledged in his speech in Rotherham on 13 September.”