David Davis meets with city councillors, business leaders and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to discuss proposals to electrify the railway lines in and out of Hull

As published by The Hull Daily Mail:
MPs and business leaders meeting Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to discuss electrification of Hull rail lines

Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson is at the meeting with Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin

A Delegation of MPs, city councillors and business leaders are meeting Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to discuss proposals to electrify the railway lines in and out of Hull.

The meeting is taking place at the Department for Transport (DfT) in London.

The lobby is being led by Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson, who is joined by a cross-party group of MPs including Hull North MP Diana Johnson, Haltemprice and Howden MP Davis Davis, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart and Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy.

Those attending the meeting also include Lord Haskins, Chair of the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Ian Kelly, Chief Executive of Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce and Will Dunnett, Managing Director of First Hull Trains.

But despite warnings that the timetable for the works, which could have been completed in time for the 2017 City of Culture celebrations, would slip without urgent ministerial approval, the Government is still yet to sign off the proposals.

Mr Johnson requested the meeting following an announcement by the DfT late last year that it is setting up a taskforce to look into electrifying the line, which will not report back for another year.

First Hull Trains has submitted a business plan to Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT).

Under its private finance deal, about £94m would be spent to install 70 miles of electrified Overhead Line Equipment (OHLE) to cover tracks both ways from Hull to Temple Hirst Junction, five miles to the west of Selby.

The funding would also include the procurement of new electric trains.