Rachel backed plans to create a high speed rail line from London to Leeds in her contribution to the Government’s consultation on the future of the line. The proposed line will cut journey times from London to Leeds to just 80 minutes and has the potential to unlock large amounts of investment for the Leeds economy.

Rachel said in her letter to the Government: “Cutting the journey time between Leeds and London to just 80 minutes is an important opportunity for a city that can offer so much, but is too often considered to be a distant outpost from London.

I have strongly backed a development in my constituency that is seeking to attract major companies to the outskirts of the city, and believe that good infrastructure is central to such projects, which can bring significant economic benefits to areas which need investment.

Bringing the High Speed line to Leeds has the potential to bring in considerable private investment to the city, and contribute to a regional rebalancing of our economy.”

You can contribute to the consultation until 12 midnight at http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/

Metro also announced that they had agreed a final funding bid for Kirkstall Forge to be submitted to the Department for Transport, with a significant contribution from site developer CEG. Rachel said:

“Metro have worked hard with developers CEG to make sure that this scheme is value for money. The development at Kirkstall Forge will make a huge difference to transport in west Leeds, and bring jobs and investment to the area. I’m pleased that the revised bid has been approved by Metro and look forward to the Department for Transport’s response.”

A new cross-party group supporting high-speed rail was launched on Tuesday at an event at the House of Commons. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is a powerful new voice in favour of building a new high speed rail line, and has already secured the backing of MPs from across the political divide.

Rachel attended the launch and said:

"Leeds stands to gain massively from High Speed Rail - when constructed my constituency will be just 80 minutes from London. This will have a knock on effect on investment and jobs: that is why I am glad to be a member of the APPG."

Rachel is pictured at the launch event.

The Yorkshire Evening Post has reported today that business leaders and MPs in the region, including Rachel, have united to send a letter to the Government emphasising the importance of a high-speed rail network, linking key cities in the north ? including Leeds and Sheffield ? the Midlands and London, especially with regards to future economic prosperity.

Rachel has long campaigned in the House of Commons for further transport investment in the region, recently asking Transport Secretary Philip Hammond about plans to build new stations at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge.

The letter reads:

Dear Sir,

We believe it is vital that the Government goes ahead with the development of a new high-speed rail network linking key cities in the north ? including Leeds and Sheffield ? the Midlands and London.

High-speed rail will help economies outside the south east and play an important part in trying to rebalance the economy. The Government has consistently pledged to do more for the regions, and investing in a high speed rail link to Yorkshire would be a tangible demonstration that the days of the north-south divide in funding are a thing of the past, as well as giving this region a significant boost for the future.

Research by Arup has shown that reducing journey times between London and Leeds by 50 minutes and between London and Sheffield by 45 minutes could bring in benefits worth billions of pounds, and the Department for Transport’s own report calculates the network’s benefits could reach ?44bn. The Government’s planned network will also improve access to Heathrow, free up space on existing lines for more freight to be moved by rail rather than road ? tackling congestion and pollution ? and create thousands of jobs during the construction phase.

The Government must not be blown off course by vocal protests from those along the route of the first phase of the network ? the potential benefits of the network to the north, and the country as a whole, are too great to be ignored.

Yours...

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty

Stuart Andrew, MP for Pudsey

Kevin Barron, MP for Rother Valley

Richard Baxter, Planning Director, Turley Associates

Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central

David Blunkett, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Coun Peter Box, Leader, Wakefield Council

Helen Briden, Conference and Events Manager, Leeds United

Charlotte Britton, West Yorkshire Chairman, Institute of Directors

Monica Burch, Senior Partner, Addleshaw Goddard

Ian Burnett, Managing Director, Wates

Mark Burns, Partner, Clarion Solicitors

Stephen Burwood, North Yorkshire Chairman, Institute of Directors

Brian Cantor, Vice Chancellor, University of York

Tony Cherry, National Vice-chairman, FSB

Andrew Cooper, Managing Director, Rex Procter & Partners

Graham Cooper, Site Manager, AGFA Graphics

Richard Corby, Partner, Edward Symmons LLP

Coun Mark Crane, Leader, Selby District Council

Coun Andrew De Freitas, Leader, North East Lincolnshire Council

Barry Dodd, Owner, GSM Group Ltd

Ryk Downes, Deputy chairman, Metro, and Lib Dem Group Leader, West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority

Richard Flanagan, Partner, Lawrence Hannah

Andrew Flower, Branch Chairman (South Yorkshire), FSB

Coun Mike Gardner, Leader, Harrogate Borough Council

Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby

Chris Greaves, Chairman, Metro and Conservative Group Leader, West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority

Coun Ian Greenwood, Leader, Bradford City Council

T.T.M Hale, Chairman, Sheffield Chamber Transport Forum

Kevin Hollinrake, Managing Director, Hunters Property Group Ltd

Kris Hopkins, MP for Keighley

Coun Stephen Houghton, Leader, Barnsley Council

Colin Hunter, Director, Storeys: SSP

Coun Neville Huxtable, Leader, Hambleton District Council

Coun Mick Jameson, Chairman, South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority

Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central

Gerald Jennings, Portfolio Director, Land Securities

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough

Peter Kay, Partner, Ware and Kay

Richard Kendall, Head of Policy, Hull and Humber Chambers

Coun Mehboob Khan, Leader, Kirklees Council

Coun Mark Kirk, Leader North Lincs Council

Coun Keith Knaggs, Leader, Ryedale Council

James Lewis, Labour Group Leader, West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority

Keith Loudon, Senior Partner, Redmayne-Bentley LLP

Gary Lumby, Director of Small Business Banking, Yorkshire Bank

Denis MacShane, MP for Rotherham

John Marshall, Senior Partner, Dickinson Dees LLP

Yuri Matischen, President, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce

Paul McCann, Human Resource Director, Sulzer Pumps

Jason McCartney, MP for Colne Valley

Ann McCracken, Communications Manager, O2

Neil McLean, Chairman, Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership

Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber

Gordon Millward, Regional Chairman (South and East Yorkshire), FSB

Jeff Morris, Head of Leeds Office, Odgers Berndtson

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West

Meg Munn, MP for Sheffield Heeley

James Newman, Chairman, Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership

Gareth Osborne, Marketing Director, Eversheds LLP

Simon Palmer, Partner, Armstrong Watson

Andrew Palmer, Regional Director, CBI

Coun Stephen Parnaby, Leader, East Riding Council

Julie Payne, Senior Marketing Manager, Eversheds

Kieran Preston, Director General, Metro

Prof Susan A Price, Vice Chancellor, Leeds Metropolitan University

Nick Ramshaw, Managing Director, Thompson Brand Partners

Richard Rawlins, Managing Director, Finn Communications

Simon Reevell, MP for Dewsbury

Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West

Linda Riordan, MP for Halifax

Kenton Robbins, Young Directors’ Forum Chairman, Institute of Directors

Coun Paul Scriven, Leader, Sheffield City Council

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield

Jeremy Shulman, Chairman, Shulmans

Angela Smith, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon

Bill Speirs, Master Cutler, Sheffield

Coun Roger Stone, Leader, Rotherham Council

John Thompson, Regional Director of IoD Yorkshire

Richard Tuplin, East Yorkshire Chairman, Institute of Directors

Coun Keith Wakefield, Leader, Leeds City Council

Diana Wallis, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber

David Ward, MP for Bradford East

Shaun Watts, Managing Director, Chameleon Business Interiors

Craig Whittaker, MP for Calder Valley

Alasdair Wightman, Chairman, AWA

Gary Williamson, Chief Executive, Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber

Margaret Wood, Regional Chairman, Institute of Directors