Agenda item

This Council believes the Integrated Rail Plan does not deliver the current Government’s promises to improve rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments. 

 

Council is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.

 

Council further calls for a swift resolution for residents and businesses in Leeds affected by safeguarded directions that are currently in place.

 

Council resolves to work with local leaders across the north and midlands on rail improvements; supports the Executive Board’s response to the plan; and calls on ministers to provide clarity for Leeds residents and businesses on how and when it will finally deliver the promised rail and mass transit improvements our city desperately needs and deserves.

It was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Hayden that this Council believes the Integrated Rail Plan does not deliver the current Government’s promises to improve rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments. 

 

Council is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.

 

Council further calls for a swift resolution for residents and businesses in Leeds affected by safeguarded directions that are currently in place.

 

Council resolves to work with local leaders across the north and midlands on rail improvements; supports the Executive Board’s response to the plan; and calls on ministers to provide clarity for Leeds residents and businesses on how and when it will finally deliver the promised rail and mass transit improvements our city desperately needs and deserves.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Hart-Brooke

 

After the first paragraph, insert a new paragraph:

 

“Nevertheless, Council does recognise that the HS2 project has been mismanaged by Government and under scrutinised by Northern Leaders.  Council regrets the collective lack of leadership on Transport for the North which allowed Northern Powerhouse Rail to be seen as secondary in importance to HS2, particularly in the light of the 2020 National Infrastructure Commission report warning of the unaffordability of delivering both schemes.”

 

In the third paragraph:

Insert after ‘Council’ and before ‘further’:

 

“recognises the significant blight that has been suffered by communities along the proposed route of the now cancelled HS2 eastern leg into Leeds and

 

Then add a further sentence to the end of the third paragraph:

 

“The Council will pursue this by working with the DFT to achieve a route into Leeds for HS2 trains from Sheffield that avoids creating a new rail corridor from the South East.”

 

In the final paragraph, insert after ‘ministers to’ and before ‘provide’

“recommit to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail through Bradford and

 

The Amended White Paper would now read:

 

This Council believes the Integrated Rail Plan does not deliver the current Government’s promises to improve rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments. 

 

Nevertheless, Council does recognise that the HS2 project has been mismanaged by Government and under scrutinised by Northern Leaders.  Council regrets the collective lack of leadership on Transport for the North which allowed Northern Powerhouse Rail to be seen as secondary in importance to HS2, particularly in the light of the 2020 National Infrastructure Commission report warning of the unaffordability of delivering both schemes.

 

Council is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.

 

Council recognises the significant blight that has been suffered by communities along the proposed route of the now cancelled HS2 eastern leg into Leeds and further calls for a swift resolution for residents and businesses in Leeds affected by safeguarded directions that are currently in place. The Council will pursue this by working with the DFT to achieve a route into Leeds for HS2 trains from Sheffield that avoids creating a new rail corridor from the South East.

 

Council resolves to work with local leaders across the north and midlands on rail improvements; supports the Executive Board’s response to the plan; and calls on ministers to recommit to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail through Bradford and provide clarity for Leeds residents and businesses on how and when it will finally deliver the promised rail and mass transit improvements our city desperately needs and deserves.

 

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Andrew Carter, seconded by Councillor Lamb

 

Amend first paragraph to read as follows:

 

This Council notes over £90billion of rail investment announced in the Integrated Rail Plan but believes it does not appropriately deliver improved rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments.  

 

Amend second paragraph to read as follows:

 

Council welcomes the TransPennine Route Upgrade, cutting journey times between Leeds and Manchester from 55 to 33 minutes, but is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.  

 

Motion would read:

 

This Council notes over £90billion of rail investment announced in the Integrated Rail Plan but believes it does not appropriately deliver improved rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments.   

 

Council welcomes the TransPennine Route Upgrade, cutting journey times between Leeds and Manchester from 55 to 33 minutes, but is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.  

 

Council further calls for a swift resolution for residents and businesses in Leeds affected by safeguarded directions that are currently in place. 

 

Council resolves to work with local leaders across the north and midlands on rail improvements; supports the Executive Board’s response to the plan; and calls on ministers to provide clarity for Leeds residents and businesses on how and when it will finally deliver the promised rail and mass transit improvements our city desperately needs and deserves. 

 

The amendments in the name of Councillor Golton and Councillor Andrew Carter were declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

 

RESOLVED – That this Council believes the Integrated Rail Plan does not deliver the current Government’s promises to improve rail services for the people of Leeds and Yorkshire and follows decades of underinvestment from successive governments. 

 

Council is concerned that the plan does not address the shortage of capacity at Leeds Station or the network around Leeds that we know impacts existing local and national rail services today and will affect future growth until it is resolved.

 

Council further calls for a swift resolution for residents and businesses in Leeds affected by safeguarded directions that are currently in place.

 

Council resolves to work with local leaders across the north and midlands on rail improvements; supports the Executive Board’s response to the plan; and calls on ministers to provide clarity for Leeds residents and businesses on how and when it will finally deliver the promised rail and mass transit improvements our city desperately needs and deserves.

 

On the requisition of Councillors Andrew Carter and Lamb the voting on the amendment in the name of Councillor Andrew Carter was recorded as follows;

 

 

 

 

YES – 29

 

Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Buckley, Campbell, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Chapman, Cohen, Dobson,Field, Firth, Flynn, Foster, Golton, Harrand, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, McCormack, Richards, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Stephenson, J Taylor and Wadsworth.

 

NO – 50

 

Akhtar, Almass, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Charlwood, Coupar, Cunningham, Dowson, Dye, Flint, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gibson, Goddard, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, E Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Walshaw and Wray.

 

ABSTAIN - 6

 

A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Finnigan, Forsaith, Gettings, and Senior.

 

On the requisition of Councillors Lennox and Lewis the voting on the motion in the name of Councillor Lewis was recorded as follows;

 

YES – 85

 

Akhtar, Almass, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Charlwood, Coupar, Cunningham, Dowson, Dye, Flint, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gibson, Goddard, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, E Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Walshaw, Wray, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Finnigan, Forsaith, Gettings, Senior, Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Buckley, Campbell, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Chapman, Cohen, Dobson, Field, Firth, Flynn, Foster, Golton, Harrand, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, McCormack, Richards, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Stephenson, J Taylor and Wadsworth.

 

NO – 0

 

ABSTAIN - 0

 

At the conclusion of this item Council adjourned from 15.40 to 15.55.