Cautious welcome for Government Transport White Paper (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Cautious welcome for Government Transport White Paper

July 24, 2007 12:17 PM

Cllr Ryk Downes

Lib Dem Councillor Ryk Downes (Otley & Yeadon), who is also Chair of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority (Metro) has released the following statement in reaction to the Government's Transport White Paper:

"Whilst I welcome news of the proposed additional investment in Leeds' rail infrastructure, I do so with caution. Plans to extend trans-pennine links and reduce journey times to Manchester stand out as good news stories, as does the promise of additional carriages for the Leeds rail network.

"That said, the Government needs to be much more clear with its dates, saying these proposals will be delivered "before, during or after CP4" (period 2009 - 2014) is meaningless. With the number of rail passengers in the Leeds region rapidly increasing, the need for major investment is more pressing than ever. The Government's own figures show they expect Leeds commuters to face far greater overcrowding than elsewhere."