Transport Committee Chair responds to Shaw Review

Nicola Shaw's report on her review of Network Rail has been published.

Among the recommendations are the creation of a new 'North Route', which will provide better co-ordination between Network Rail and Rail North than the existing routes based on the East and West Coast lines. Further recommendations make working with local partners, seeking external funding and delivering more for passengers priorities to be pursued.

Responding to the report, West Yorkshire Combined Authority�s Transport Committee Chair Cllr Keith Wakefield said:

�Our railways have a huge role to play in supporting West Yorkshire Combined Authority�s huge ambitions for achieving economic growth and creating new jobs for the Leeds City Region.

�I was pleased to see the Shaw Report recommends the creation of a Route for the North and will be stressing that local schemes such as the upgrade of the Calder Valley linking Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Manchester and the Leeds, Harrogate to York lines are vital parts of that Route.

�The report�s recommendations will help put passengers back at the heart of our railways and enhance our ability to work with Network Rail to develop local rail services. We want to build upon our substantial plans for the West Yorkshire rail network, which saw the recent openings of the new Apperley Bridge station and Leeds Station Southern Entrance and will soon be followed by new stations at Kirkstall Forge and Low Moor.

�And they will augment our work to prepare for the arrival of high speed services and develop our rail stations not just as transport hubs but also gateways to opportunity in our towns and cities, acting as catalysts for investment and growth.�