Paula Sherriff has slammed the government following a downgrade to plans to electrify rail links between Liverpool and Newcastle, leaving West Yorkshire passengers in the lurch.

In 2015, the government pledged to put better rail links for the North at the heart of its so-called Northern Powerhouse agenda, ensuring faster journey times and more capacity. However this week the Transport Secretary only offered partial electrification at best.

The government’s announcement was followed by a pledge of support for London’s £30bn Crossrail 2 project, focused on London and the South-East which already receive six times more transport funding than the North, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Dewsbury’s MP Paula Sherriff said:

“This is yet another slap in the face to the North from the Tories. Get on the train from Dewsbury to Leeds or Manchester, and commuters still tolerate over-crowded, often dilapidated, slow, late running trains. It is inexplicable how they can scrap plans for better rail services in the North on one day and then find billions for London the next.  

Our region has put up with this for far too long. Transport investment in the North could be genuinely transformational, but we have been let down yet again. As the MP here, I will always fight for more investment in infrastructure for our area.”