Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop, today (January 12th 2012) said he feared that a blanket non-reply from transport ministers to his arguments in a key House of Commons, meant that Teesside might be left in the sidings when it came to railway modernisation.
Tom has earlier asked transport ministers to look to see whether the electrification of the line linking Middlesbrough with the East Coast Main Line could be done at the same time as the already announced Leeds – Manchester project. In a reply, Junior Transport Minister, Theresa Villiers said “I intend to ask Network Rail to establish the cost and whether there is a business case for electrification of the line between Northallerton and Middlesbrough.”

Tom said “I raised this issue again today in a House of Commons debate on rail modernisation but this had no response from key ministers on the coalition benches.

The Department for Transport and Network Rail need to make sure the business case study on electrification to Teesside is done properly, and with full co-operation of all local agencies such as Tees Valley Unlimited, the North East Chamber of Commerce, local train operators and councils. It cannot be just left as a London-based desk study with all the dangers of coming to a shallow pre-ordained conclusion in the absence of any meaningful and deep consultation and possible partnership.

The failure of Ministers to respond to these basic questions today again calls into doubt the real commitment of the Government to see that Teesside is plugged into the circuit board of an proper electrified UK rail network.

I will not rest on this issue and will, again, be writing to both Justine Greening, the Transport Minister and to Theresa Villiers, asking for just vital element of rail investment to be delivered for rail travellers from Teesside. If it is to be left off, this could pose a real threat to our Trans-Pennine services to Leeds, Manchester and Manchester Airport – and indeed possibly a new direct link to London – if Teesside is left on a non-electrified branch line.”