For Oldham Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Government’s Integrated Rail Review, announced 18 November, represents a “total sell out” of promises to Northern rail passengers as plans to improve the rail line between Manchester and Leeds and introduce a high-speed link from Leeds to Birmingham are scrapped.

So says Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who also serves on the Transport for Greater Manchester committee. 

“The Prime Minister’s promise to make some of our key Northern rail routes fit for the twenty first century has, as have many of his other promises, come to nothing,” said Councillor Sykes.  “How can we ever make rail attractive as a travel option when rail passengers continue to travel on a Victorian infrastructure that cannot accommodate high-speed trains, whilst paying sky-high rail fares?” 

The Review contained the announcement that investment in a new Manchester to Leeds rail line, dubbed ‘HS3’, will be reduced and the Eastern leg of ‘HS2’ from Leeds to Birmingham abandoned.

Councillor Sykes concluded:  “The so-called Northern Rail Powerhouse has been sent into the buffers by bungling Controller, Boris Johnson.  This announcement represents confirmation that, as usual, passengers in the North continue to be short-changed when it comes to rail travel compared to those in the capital and the south.”