Mulholland Makes Final Case for Yorkshire

5.10.00pm GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

With an announcement due on the Government's plans for High Speed Rail tomorrow, Greg Mulholland MP for Leeds North West has made a final appeal to Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, about the importance of high Speed Rail to Yorkshire and the Humber.

In his letter Greg has expressed disappointment that High Speed North, the set of proposals he has been championing have not featured more prominently in the DfT's thinking.

Commenting Greg said:

"The Government is widely expected tomorrow to adopt the High Speed 2 model which proposes a single line between London and Birmingham branching off at Birmingham then splitting in a Y shape between the East and West of the Country.

"I and many others do not believe that this is the most economically viable route and I have written to Lord Adonis to tell him so, I am disappointed that the High Speed North Proposal was not take more seriously.

"If the Government is committed to the Y shape then we must be sure that the proposal will not disadvantage the East by making us wait for the Western spur to be completed first.

"Both spurs must be built at the same time to prevent one side of the country being cripplingly economically disadvantaged."