Trams: Leeds and West Yorkshire

The Secretary of State has met the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, to discuss the vital role that mass transit can play in delivering sustainable economic growth and housing and to improve connectivity to jobs, healthcare and education in the region. The Department is working in partnership with the West Yorkshire combined authority to support the development of the combined authority’s business case, to help bring forward the benefits of mass transit in West Yorkshire.

Leeds North East is the only constituency in the city without a railway station. Leeds is the largest city in Europe without a rail-based public transport system. Plans for mass transit networks in West Yorkshire are essential for jobs and our local economy, so will the Minister join me in congratulating the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, on her plans to build a tram network in Leeds in the very near future?

West Yorkshire combined authority has been allocated £200 million of Government funding for 2022 to 2027 to develop a new mass transit system, including £160 million from the city region sustainable transport settlement, and £40 million from the integrated rail plan. I commend the hard work and tenacity of Tracy Brabin as the Mayor of West Yorkshire, who is determined to create a better connected region that works for everyone.

Could Members stand every time so that I know they want to ask a question? I call Tom Gordon.

Sorry, Mr Speaker. West Yorkshire borders my patch. Will the Minister ensure that a mass transit system in Leeds connects with places such as Harrogate just across the border, so that there is a combined approach for the entire region?

I will bear the hon. Member’s contribution in mind and share it with colleagues in the West Yorkshire combined authority.

Let us continue the Yorkshire love-in with shadow Minister Sir Alex Shelbrooke.

Let me say to my near neighbour, the hon. Member for Leeds North East (Fabian Hamilton), that my constituency does not have a train station either. Joining up towns and cities in the north of England is a way to untap this country’s great economic potential. As the first ever shadow Minister for northern transport, and a Yorkshire MP, I am incredibly excited about the mass transit system in Leeds that I have campaigned on for years. Along with the rest of Network North, it will be a transformative endeavour but, unfortunately, Labour has a history of not delivering mass transit projects in Leeds. In fact, it seems the only deliveries it is interested in are boxes of clothes from Lord Alli. What message does that send to the people and businesses of Leeds, whose lives it will improve? Can the Minister put them all out of their misery and confirm that the project is going ahead?

Let me remind the hon. Gentleman that the Conservatives were in government for 14 long years. Now, the hon. Gentleman has the temerity to stand there and ask why we are not getting on with it. This Government are moving quick and fixing things. We are determined to work with Tracy Brabin as the Mayor of West Yorkshire to achieve her objectives.