Responding to an article in today’s Yorkshire Post by Nick Clegg, in which the Deputy Prime Minister stresses the importance of the Government taking a long-term approach on the economy, Metro Chairman Cllr Chris Greaves said,
“I am pleased to hear that Mr Clegg is taking this view and hope to see him and his colleagues delivering on this thinking by giving the go-ahead to major local transport projects, currently on hold, which research has shown would deliver significant long-term benefits for the local economy.
Ensuring future prosperity
“Schemes such as the NGT Leeds trolleybus network, the new southern entrance to Leeds Station, new railways stations at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge which already have £4m of private sector backing, and the planned Castleford Interchange would all help the Leeds City Region grow its way out of the current recession and help ensure its future prosperity.
“These schemes are in line with the Coalition’s commitment to rebalance and grow the economy through private sector-led economic growth and they have a strong fit with the Government’s policies of promoting sustainable travel, improving air quality and accessibility, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Underpinning growth
“And it’s not just Metro saying transport schemes are vital because that’s the business we’re in,” continued Cllr Greaves. “The CBI and the British Chambers of Commerce have both called upon the Government to maintain investment in transport projects because they are essential in underpinning economic growth.
“We fully appreciate the Government’s need to review spending but we maintain that for this region to meet its full potential the long legacy of transport underspending by successive governments needs to end, and that these projects, which all meet the Department for Transport’s strict criteria, are given the go ahead.
“In his article, Mr Clegg states that ‘a politician thinks of the next election’ while ‘a statesman thinks of the next generation’,” added Cllr Greaves. “Let’s hope for West Yorkshire’s and the Leeds City Region's sakes, Mr Clegg and his colleagues prove to be statesmen.”
