£1bn fleet of high-tech new trains to cut Leeds to Hull journey times 'by just one minute'
The battery-powered trains could be serving Yorkshire in less than ten years’ time
A high-tech £1-billion fleet of new battery-powered trains are only expected to cut many journey times by “up to a minute” between Hull and Leeds, it has been revealed.
The region’s newest member of the House of Lords has described the new trains as “an insult” to local people, saying “our part of Yorkshire deserves better”.
Lord Dave McCobb, Hull and East Yorkshire Liberal Democrat Member of the House of Lords, is campaigning for the promised full rail electrification to the region. However, he has been left disappointed by the proposed battery-powered solution.
In September, the Government announced that battery-powered electric trains could be serving Yorkshire in less than ten years’ time following a £1-billion investment. The Department for Transport unveiled the plans, which will mean the more sustainable trains pulling into Hull’s Paragon Station by 2034.
The news was welcomed by local Labour MPs, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham released a statement welcoming the innovation too. The trains should offer smoother journeys and reduce air pollution at Hull’s busy railway station as well.
But now Lord McCobb says he has discovered the new trains will not offer anything like the improved speed that full electrification would offer.
He has revealed correspondence that suggests journey times between a key travel corridor such as Hull to Leeds commutes will only be one minute faster.
“Just one extra minute. Is that all the people of Hull and East Yorkshire are worth?,” he said.
“After years of promises, a devolution deal that committed to improve travel times and a billion-pound announcement, Hull is being offered just one minute off the journey to Leeds – and we’ll wait up to eight years to get it.”
In a written answer to Lord McCobb questions, Rail Minister Lord Hendy stated that the battery-electric trains will save ‘up to a minute’ on Hull to Leeds travel times, and five to six minutes between Hull and Manchester.
He also confirmed that the trains may not be running on Hull services until December 2034.
In the Hull & East Yorkshire Devolution Deal agreed by both the previous and current governments, a clear commitment was given to ‘electrifying and improving the line speed between Hull to Leeds and Hull to Sheffield’ in order to cut the journey between Leeds and Hull from 58 to 48 minutes; and from Hull to Manchester from 107 to 84 minutes.