Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, today announces the results of his survey about the proposed new York to Hull Rail Link, which he has long advocated.
In his survey of 196 residents of the East Riding of Yorkshire, 98% of respondents expressed support for the scheme, which was awarded £50,000 by the Department for Transport to fund an initial study into the line.
As anyone who lives in Beverley or Market Weighton and Pocklington know, access to York and Hull can be difficult, with insufficient bus links and an over-capacity road in the A1079. 20% of respondents to Graham’s survey cited road congestion as a reason for supporting the new rail link.
27% cited connectivity as an important factor in their support for the new rail link, with the prospect of access to the wider rail network an important reason for backing the proposed line.
The environmental impact of taking cars off the road wasn’t lost on the almost 200 respondents, with 12% citing it as an important reason for creating the new line.
An AECOM study, completed in August 2022, indicates that a direct rail link could substantially increase journeys to work across the line, and significantly enhance access to the jobs markets in York and Hull.
Graham has written to the rail minister, Huw Merriman, to request a meeting to advocate for funding for an engineering study, which would create a new route between the two cities (which preserves the popular bridleway along the old Minsters Line).
Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said:
“It’s not right that the two great Northern cities of York and Hull are separated by a journey of over an hour.
“Creating a new York to Hull Rail Link, echoing the old Minsters Line, would unlock the East Riding’s potential.
“My petition shows demand exists, and over a wide area, and this line would hugely improve the lives of people in Beverley, Market Weighton and Pocklington hugely.”
