Like our scaffolding systems, Burflex Scaffolding is founded on quality, integrity and consistency. Our head office is based in Hull, we also have contact offices in Sheffield and Leeds.
West Yorkshire is to gain significant new funding in the Budget for public transport improvements, the government has revealed.
Although the Budget speech is not due until today (October 27th), it has already been revealed that English city regions outside London will share in a £6.9 billion sum for local transport initiatives. This is separate from national transport projects such as HS2 or even Northern Powerhouse Rail – the proposed faster line across the Pennines from Manchester to Leeds.
The West Yorkshire share will be £830 million, which can be spent on a range of initiatives from rail and bus improvements to even the possibility of reviving plans for a Metro tram system, which were conceived 20 years ago but cancelled by the government in 2004. West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin has expressed interest in establishing such a network.
South Yorkshire will get £570 million, which will include expanded the Sheffield Tram system with new tram-trains running to Rotherham. Both Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will get over £1 billion. The former will be expanding the Metrolink tram system with new tram-trains in the same way as Sheffield, while the latter will be adding several major new Midlands Metro routes.
The developments in West Yorkshire may provide substantial work for scaffolders in Leeds, especially if new railway stations are part of the new developments. There are already plans in place to add to the network in Leeds, such as the proposed Leeds-Bradford Airport Parkway Station.
In a briefing to journalists about the money, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “Great cities need great transport and that is why we’re investing billions to improve connections in our city regions as we level up opportunities across the country.”
West Yorkshire, Merseyside and the Bristol area are the largest UK urban areas without a metro system. Merseyside does at least benefit from having mainline trains running underground and Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees wants to develop an underground system, but much attention has been paid to the particular situation in Leeds.
In his recent Conservative Party Conference speech in Manchester, prime minister Boris Johnson said it is a “disgrace that Leeds is the largest city in Europe with no proper metro system.”
He also said it was unacceptable that it was not currently possible to make a fast rail journey across the Pennines, while his speech talked not just of trans-Pennine rail but also HS2 connecting northern cities.
The last of these comments may come as music to the ears of those concerned by rumours that the Leeds leg of HS2 might be mothballed, although this would also disappoint opponents of the project.
To build new railways stations within the West Yorkshire area, extend bus routes, put in new infrastructure and finally get a rapid mass transport system will not just improve connectivity in the area, but provide plenty of work for the local construction sector.
All this will be increased further if the government confirms further work on bringing Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Sheffield-Leeds leg of HS2 to fruition.
