Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Julie Dore

That this Council:-

 

(a)       condemns the Government’s decision to shelve indefinitely the electrification of the Midland Mainline between Sheffield and London;

 

(b)       is dismayed that just seven weeks after the General Election the Government reneged on its election pledge to electrify key rail lines in the North, and views the decision as evidence that the North is not considered a priority by the Government;

 

(c)        questions the Government’s claim that they had no knowledge of this before the election;

 

(d)       calls on the Government to reaffirm its commitment to electrification and to provide a definitive timetable as to when Yorkshire can expect to have the rail upgrades that it needs and was promised before the General Election;

 

(e)       notes a report by engineering consultants Arup which estimated that electrification would reap economic benefits totalling £95m for Sheffield City Region over a 60 year period, in addition to significant environmental benefits; and

 

(f)        believes that the pausing of infrastructure projects, such as the electrification of the Midland Mainline:

 

(i)         makes a mockery of the Government's commitment to the “Northern Powerhouse”; and

 

(ii)        has a detrimental impact on businesses and commuters in Sheffield and across the north of England.

Minutes:

 

Electrification of the Midland Mainline

 

 

 

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, seconded by Councillor Jack Scott, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       condemns the Government’s decision to shelve indefinitely the electrification of the Midland Mainline between Sheffield and London;

 

(b)       is dismayed that just seven weeks after the General Election the Government reneged on its election pledge to electrify key rail lines in the North, and views the decision as evidence that the North is not considered a priority by the Government;

 

(c)        questions the Government’s claim that they had no knowledge of this before the election;

 

(d)       calls on the Government to reaffirm its commitment to electrification and to provide a definitive timetable as to when Yorkshire can expect to have the rail upgrades that it needs and was promised before the General Election;

 

(e)       notes a report by engineering consultants Arup which estimated that electrification would reap economic benefits totalling £95m for Sheffield City Region over a 60 year period, in addition to significant environmental benefits; and

 

(f)        believes that the pausing of infrastructure projects, such as the electrification of the Midland Mainline:

 

(i)         makes a mockery of the Government's commitment to the “Northern Powerhouse”; and

 

(ii)        has a detrimental impact on businesses and commuters in Sheffield and across the north of England.

 

 

 

 

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ian Auckland, seconded by Councillor Colin Ross, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:

 

 

 

1.         the deletion of paragraph (c) and the relettering of paragraphs (d) to (f) as new paragraphs (c) to (e); and

 

2.         the addition of a new paragraph (f)  as follows:-

 

(f)        calls on the Council to lobby the Government on a cross party basis to reinstate the electrification of the Midland Main Line.

 

 

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

 

 

 

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

(a)       condemns the Government’s decision to shelve indefinitely the electrification of the Midland Mainline between Sheffield and London;

 

(b)       is dismayed that just seven weeks after the General Election the Government reneged on its election pledge to electrify key rail lines in the North, and views the decision as evidence that the North is not considered a priority by the Government;

 

(c)        questions the Government’s claim that they had no knowledge of this before the election;

 

(d)       calls on the Government to reaffirm its commitment to electrification and to provide a definitive timetable as to when Yorkshire can expect to have the rail upgrades that it needs and was promised before the General Election;

 

(e)       notes a report by engineering consultants Arup which estimated that electrification would reap economic benefits totalling £95m for Sheffield City Region over a 60 year period, in addition to significant environmental benefits; and

 

(f)        believes that the pausing of infrastructure projects, such as the electrification of the Midland Mainline:

 

(i)         makes a mockery of the Government's commitment to the “Northern Powerhouse”; and

 

(ii)        has a detrimental impact on businesses and commuters in Sheffield and across the north of England.

 

 

 

(Note: 1.Councillors Rob Frost, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Penny Baker, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Steve Ayris, David Baker, Katie Condliffe and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) to (f) and against paragraph (c) and asked for this to be recorded.

 

2. Councillors Aodan Marken, Brian Webster, Robert Murphy and Sarah Jane Smalley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) to (f) and abstained on paragraph (c) and asked for this to be recorded.)