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20
Feb
Call for clarity over millions pledged to North Yorkshire after HS2 was axed
There has been a call for more clarity over millions of pounds promised to York and North Yorkshire after the northern leg of HS2 was scrapped.
It comes after Labour's Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said the £380m promised was "fantasy money".
York Council opposition Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Stephen Fenton said the Secretary of State appeared to cast doubt on the pledge.
Conservative group leader Cllr Chris Steward said rolling back on his party’s promise to use money from HS2 to fund northern transport improvements would be a betrayal.
Labour York and North Yorkshire transport spokesperson Cllr Pete Kilbane said that promise had been unfunded but the government was serious about investing, with a new funding announcement expected soon.
It comes follows an exchange in Parliament between the transport secretary and Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon over the future of the cash.
What was promised when HS2 was scrapped?
York and North Yorkshire was allocated £380 million over seven years from the previous Conservative government’s £4.7 billion Local Transport Fund which launched in February last year.
Then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the money had been made available thanks to the decision to axe the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2.
Mr Gordon asked Ms Alexander to confirm whether the government still planned on delivering the funding.
But in response, the Transport Secretary said:
That was fantasy money.
We are working through a pipeline of transport infrastructure projects, and will make announcements alongside the spending review.
The comments come amid uncertainty over the future of funding for York transport projects including Haxby Station and the York Outer Ring Road.
Following the exchange in the Commons on Thursday, February 13, Cllr Fenton said urgent clarity was needed over the fate of the money pledged for York and North Yorkshire.
The Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson said:
Losing the HS2 connection was a body blow to the north, only slightly softened by the news the money would instead be given directly to us.
This former HS2 money was a game-changer, ensuring that essential schemes could progress in full and on time.
It would be devastating for transport and economic growth in York if the Labour government pulls the plug on this promised investment.
Conservative Cllr Steward said Labour should not roll back on funding commitments made by his party.
The Conservative group leader said:
When the last government cancelled the northern stretch of HS2 it was clear that all of the money would still benefit transport in the north and it actually set out a vast array of the schemes that would benefit.
It would be yet another betrayal by the Labour government if this money was not delivered.
York and North Yorkshire’s deputy mayor for transport Cllr Kilbane said the region would still get a share of £650m in government funding pledged for local transport schemes.
He added it would come in 2025-6 on top of £62m already pledged for local highway maintenance schemes and £12m promising for bus services.
The deputy mayor said:
Sadly we now know that, following the cancellation of HS2, the previous Conservative government made unfunded promises that they failed to deliver.
The Liberal Democrats can scaremonger all they like, they will not deter our Labour mayor who continues to work hard for a good transport settlement, talking up the fantastic opportunities this can bring to the people of our region.
We are busy producing a new transport plan for York and North Yorkshire so that we can target long-term transport funding expected to be announced later this year as part of the Government’s spending review.
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