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Second regional daily launches rail electrification campaign

A second regional daily has launched a campaign calling on the Chancellor to rethink the government’s policy on railways.

Papers on both sides of the Pennines are now urging George Osborne to reverse the decision to pause electrification work on a key rail route in the North of England, after The Yorkshire Post decided to follow in the footsteps of the Manchester Evening News.

As reported on HTFP earlier this month, the MEN’s ‘Stop the #NorthernPowercut’ aims to get the scheme, between Manchester and Leeds, going again.

Now The YP has launched its own ‘Back on Track’ campaign, with nearly 70 business leaders signing an open letter to Mr Osborne calling on him to honour pre-election promises to upgrade the region’s railways.

YP campaign

The letter reads: “For too long, the Yorkshire economy has underperformed because of the disproportionate amount of public money allocated to major infrastructure projects in London, and therefore the gap in productivity and economic performance remains.

“As such, it will be extremely regrettable if schemes like Crossrail 2 in the capital are given preference over infrastructure schemes in this region which are critical to this region’s future prospects and can help rebalance the economy and deliver benefits for the whole country.

“Without a 21st century railway, Yorkshire will be unable to fulfil its own potential as an economic powerhouse in the ‘One Nation’ Britain envisaged by both yourself and the Prime Minister.”

Meanwhile, three councils on the MEN’s patch have backed its campaign.