West Yorkshire HS2 NPR Northern Powerhouse Rail Conservative Leaders Boris Johnson Hunt Jeremy

The Conservative party’s leadership candidates have been urged to take HS2 “really seriously” by the Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Presenting the keynote address at this year’s West Yorkshire Development Conference, the authority’s Chair Susan Hinchcliffe emphasised the importance of the high-speed line and Northern Powerhouse Rail for the region’s growth.
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She said: “There is a real opportunity with HS2 to make the transformational change that the north needs. Investment in high speed rail is something that the next leader of the Tory party needs to take really seriously. Investment in the north is absolutely vital. Pushing for HS2 can’t just be an elective policy”

Hinchcliffe also expressed hope that the stalled One Yorkshire devolution deal can be concluded in the “not too distant future”, noting that James Brokenshire has been “positive” about the concept of a Yorkshire-wide devolution.

Revealing that the secretary of state for housing and communities had convened a private meeting of leaders from across the county, she said: “It’s not easy to achieve but hopefully we will get there in the not too distant future.”

In the meantime, Hinchcliffe said the combined authority’s officials are currently discussing an interim deal with civil servants in Whitehall.

Over the last year, the authority has invested in services and projects worth £390m, including the delivery of 17 “significant” transport projects.

Hinchcliffe also said that the re-election of all five West Yorkshire council leaders in last month’s local polls has given “some continuity” of leadership and decision making in the sub-region.
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