Chamber responds to Northern Powerhouse Rail

Reacting to the news that Northern Powerhouse Rail has been confirmed by the Treasury, West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has the following response:

Mark Casci, head of policy and representation at West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Businesses in Yorkshire have long stressed the importance of improving connectivity for the north of England. As a Chamber we have been campaigning for such improvements for many years.

“That Northern Powerhouse Rail is to finally be delivered is superb news for our members and a development that promises to be a gamechanger, not just for the North of England, but for the whole country.

“In particular, the great city of Bradford will see the fruits of this investment. Despite being the sixth largest city in England, Bradford is consistently rated as the worst connected of all the core cities. You could travel between Leeds and Bradford faster during Edwardian times when steam trains operated than in 2026. However, now it will receive a proper, through railway station, speeding up travel and ensuring greater prospects for the city’s businesses and residents, all of whom will enjoy far greater levels of social mobility.

“The Southern Gateway project around the new station will become one of the country’s largest regeneration schemes, creating 23,000 jobs, 5,000 new homes and generate £1.12 bn for local economy.

“The announcement constitutes a pivotal moment for the region and we look forward to a swift and positive timetable for delivery as soon as possible.”