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Political and business leaders from Leeds and Sheffield are travelling to Westminster to make the case for \u2018transformational rail investment\u2019 between the two city regions.<\/p>\n
Leeds City Council leader Councillor James Lewis and Sheffield City Council leader Councillor Tom Hunt, alongside West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, will be speaking at the event in the House of Commons today (22 October 2025), calling for much-improved services between the two cities and key investment in their main rail stations.<\/p>\n
Joined by representatives from across the public and private sectors, they will call for the government to deliver rail improvements between Leeds and Sheffield as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail.<\/p>\n
There remains a lot of \u2018safeguarded\u2019 land in South Leeds, originally was earmarked for the HS2 high speed rail route through Stourton and Hunslet until the eastern leg of HS2 was axed in 2021. As we have reported previously<\/strong><\/a> an extension to the station was planned for HS2 stretching out across the River Aire in the area of Asda House. Last year the council lobbied the government to ensure that land to the south of Leeds station remained safeguarded.<\/p>\n Currently, two of the North\u2019s core cities are linked by just one fast train an hour and the their growth \u2013 and the region\u2019s \u2013 is being held back by outdated, Victorian rail infrastructure.<\/p>\n Combined, Sheffield and Leeds generate almost \u00a350 billion in GVA, but they\u2019re missing out on even more \u2013 up to \u00a325 billion each year across the wider White Rose region, according to the latest research.<\/p>\n Together the two cities are urging the Government to back Northern Powerhouse Rail between Sheffield and Leeds, with a clear timetable and delivery plan.<\/p>\n That includes:<\/p>\n Leeds City Council Leader Councillor James Lewis said:<\/p>\n \u201cOur great and growing cities are home to internationally-competitive businesses across a wide range of sectors, and we are achieving all this with poor rail connectivity between us. Yet these improvements between our two cities will drive growth not just in Leeds and Sheffield but across Yorkshire and the UK.<\/p>\n \u201cImproved rail connectivity will also benefit surrounding towns and communities, bringing people within easier reach of jobs and opportunities, and enabling delivery of more new homes including affordable housing. With this commitment and certainty, we can deliver these improvements now and bring better growth across Yorkshire and the wider UK economy within the decade.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The two cities\u2019 asks were included in Yorkshire\u2019s Plan for Rail which was launched by three of Yorkshire\u2019s regional mayors earlier this year.<\/p>\n Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:<\/p>\n \u201cWe deserve far better than the creaking and unreliable rail network we currently have serving the two great cities of Leeds and Sheffield.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is why we\u2019re calling for faster\u00a0services and investment in our\u00a0stations to address\u00a0capacity and connectivity issues which are holding the economy back.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue to make the case for fairer rail investment for Yorkshire so that passengers get the services they deserve and we can achieve our ambitious plans for the region.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n\n
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