Yorkshire Hub

[superkev]

Two-track high-speed railways only work if station stops are infrequent. I do think that an HS2 and NPR route northwards via Leeds East, Harrogate and Ripon makes sense. However, the only way that Bradford city centre can get directly connected to a high-speed route is if the NPR is routed via Bradford. That is not going to happen – and my guess is that the eventual choice will be a single new trans-Pennine tunnelled route east from Manchester, with a triangular junction to HS2 so that the principal flows Leeds to Manchester, Manchester to Sheffield (Meadowhall) and Sheffield (Meadowhall) to Leeds are catered for. All other centres must be catered for by improvements to the classic rail network and/or by tram-train.

Because, except in very very congested areas, once someone is in the car they stay in the car in the overwhelming majority of cases. In the London area, people tolerate having to use the train because there is no realistic alternative.

Can't agree with the bit about car owners staying in there cars. When I travelled to london fairly often id say the majority of passengers parked there car at a station. Bradfordians usually used Wakefield as it was quicker. I always thought even then a park and ride near the m62 would be a gold mine.
Also I believe the aire valley a very desirable place to live and work but crippled by poor links both road and rail to the south particularly across Bradford. Perhaps with a tram train through bradford the sure and wharfe valleys would bloom like flowers.
K

 

[backontrack]

The new Northern franchise promises direct trains from Bradford to Wakefield, Sheffield, Nottingham, Hull, Liverpool, Warrington, Chester and Southport.

 

[30907]

Also I believe the aire valley a very desirable place to live and work but crippled by poor links both road and rail to the south particularly across Bradford. Perhaps with a tram train through bradford the sure and wharfe valleys would bloom like flowers.

Having lived and worked in "Airedale-not-Bradford" for a third of my life, and intending to retire there, I don't think the lack of a cross Bradford rail link made much difference - let alone crippled it - and Wharfedale even more so.
Much though I would like to do Shipley to Manchester etc, the biggest commuter and leisure market is Leeds (ask my children...)
Now road links is another matter (Saltaire roundabout-as-was...).

BTW when I saw those blue-and-red maps a few posts back, I did wonder about a HS2 terminus at Gildersome Retail Park with a complete new light rail system.

 

[Iskra]

Having lived and worked in "Airedale-not-Bradford" for a third of my life, and intending to retire there, I don't think the lack of a cross Bradford rail link made much difference - let alone crippled it - and Wharfedale even more so.
Much though I would like to do Shipley to Manchester etc, the biggest commuter and leisure market is Leeds (ask my children...)
Now road links is another matter (Saltaire roundabout-as-was...).

BTW when I saw those blue-and-red maps a few posts back, I did wonder about a HS2 terminus at Gildersome Retail Park with a complete new light rail system.

The retail park is in Birstall, not Gildsersome. That would be great, but I doubt it will happen as neither Kirklees nor Leeds have any interest in spending money on Birstall with it being on the fringe of both.

 

[bluenoxid]

I cannot remember the frequency of services to Leeds on HS2 but would one option be extending them to an alternative location eg Bradford. Bradford and Leeds are probably only going to be as bad as Euston and OOC and only slightly worse than Curzon Street and international