Metro Chairman Cllr Chris Greaves today welcomed a campaign by Leeds MPs to ensure that plans for a new rail station at Kirkstall Forge are not sidelined as part of the Government’s spending cuts.
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves and Commercial Estate Group (CEG) have invited Transport Minister Theresa Villiers, members of the influential Commons Transport Select Committee and Network Rail executives to a reception in Parliament to raise their awareness of the project's importance to Leeds and its City Region.
A new station at Kirkstall Forge is part of a £23¼m Rail Growth Package submitted to the Department for Transport by Metro and its partners in November 2009. CEG has already earmarked a £4m contribution for the new station which supports its Kirkstall Forge regeneration initiative.
Attracting further investment
“Kirkstall Forge station would support CEG’s development that will help to create up to 3,000 jobs and living space for 2,000 people,” said Cllr Greaves.
”Together with another new station at Apperley Bridge, it will act as a catalyst for attracting further private investment to Leeds and Bradford and will contribute to closing the £30bn annual productivity gap between the North’s three regions and the rest of England.
“Around 15% of the scheme would be met by local contribution which is significantly higher than the DfT’s minimum requirement of 10%, and the whole Rail Growth Package is in line with the Coalition’s commitment to rebalance and grow the economy through private sector-led economic growth,” he continued.
“It offers taxpayers value-for-money and fits in with the Government’s policies of promoting sustainable travel, improving air quality and accessibility, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so it deserves to survive the spending review.”
Increasing park-and-ride
Both Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge stations would have large park-and-ride facilities and are key elements of the Package, which also focuses upon increasing park-and-ride capacity at stations across West Yorkshire.
Other key benefits of the scheme include better utilisation of capacity on the Leeds-Bradford Forster Square route and reduced journey times between Leeds and Bradford, as well as improved connectivity between the Leeds City Region’s main urban centres.
In response to the Spending Review, Metro has submitted alternative ways of phasing the Package that would still deliver the key regeneration benefits but, thanks to the significant developer contributions available, reduce the initial funding pressure on the DfT.
