Mayors demand a rethink on rail plans for the North
They claimed that the proposals do not make economic sense
Last updated 24th Nov 2021
Leaders from across the North have met in Leeds to discuss the government's decision to cancel the eastern leg of HS2.
It would have connected Yorkshire to the rest of the high speed rail network- but the transport secretary's focusing on local links instead.
The government has been accused of letting people down and breaking promises- but ministers have said the new plans will improve journey times.
After the meeting in Leeds, Metro mayors from across the North put forward a united front to oppose the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) announced by the Government last week.
During a news conference, Mr Burnham described the IRP as a "bombshell" and said it does not solve the East-West connectivity problem between cities in the North.
"We have come together with a positive suggestion to move things forward," he said.
'Explore the art of the possible'
South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis said the Northern leaders are going back to ministers to ask them to think again, and "explore the art of the possible".
He said:
"We still want to make the case for the Government to do what they originally committed to do - governments change their minds, U-turns are made, this Government has made quite a few of them."
Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Mayor, added:
"We are not going to accept what we have been given, this is an opportunity to make it better."
She also claimed the Government's current plans do not represent value for money, saying: "If we do it in this way, we will have to do it all over again in a decade."