New Bradford railway station plans to be unveiled soon – minister

Plans for a new railway station in Bradford are expected to be revealed next week, the rail minister has confirmed.

The government had been exploring options for a new station to help the regeneration of the West Yorkshire city, Huw Merriman told MPs.

He was updating them on the official response to a Transport Select Committee report scrutinising the government’s Integrated Rail Plan (IRP).

The IRP sparked criticism among leaders in the north of England in 2021 when plans for a new line linking Leeds and Manchester via Bradford were dropped.

The decision to abandon some of the elements of the promised Northern Powerhouse prompted political and business leaders to accuse the government of breaking its promises over its levelling up agenda.

They claimed the government had abandoned plans to improve transport connections between cities in Yorkshire and the North West.

Mr Merriman told members of the Transport Select Committee that the government remained “committed to the core parts of the Integrated Rail Plan, effectively the entire Integrated Rail Plan”.

He said the focus was on “getting better options assessed for Bradford and enabling Bradford to put forward a new station to help with city centre regeneration”.

“That’s something we’re very keen to do,” he added.

The government had been working “very positively” with the Treasury and the Department for Levelling Up over plans for Bradford, Mr Merriman said.

“I think that’s an area where I very much hope that our response will be welcomed by the committee.”

He said he could assure members that “we remain on track to get that to you by the end of this month, so by next week”.

During a Conservative Party leadership debate in July 2022, Rishi Sunak said “an unequivocal massive yes” when asked if he was committed to “levelling up” the north of England.