Let me tell you the story of the most visible example of economic and political failure in modern Britain.
Leeds is the largest city in western Europe without a mass transit system, and we are all poorer because of it.
How did we get here? Why does it matter? And what can be done?
Leeds is the largest city in western Europe without a mass transit system, and we are all poorer because of it.
How did we get here? Why does it matter? And what can be done?
Rewind 150 years and we learn that Leeds did once have mass transit.
Its tram network was horse-drawn from as early as 1871, and then electric from 1901.
Just look at this beautiful tram:
Its tram network was horse-drawn from as early as 1871, and then electric from 1901.
Just look at this beautiful tram:
The Leeds tram was an extensive network connecting nearby towns and villages with Leeds city centre.
Indeed, the whole of West Yorkshire used to be covered by trams (in fact, it was Huddersfield that had the first municipality-run tram in the country).
And it was these transport connections that helped West Yorkshire grow and its people become more prosperous.
Indeed, the whole of West Yorkshire used to be covered by trams (in fact, it was Huddersfield that had the first municipality-run tram in the country).
And it was these transport connections that helped West Yorkshire grow and its people become more prosperous.
But in the late-1950s – by which time the network comprised 124 miles of track and a fleet of 476 trams – the tram met the end of the line.
Instead, Leeds City Council opted to prioritise buses and cars amidst high running costs of the tram network and increasing car ownership.
The Yorkshire Post reported that the final run of Route 1 was met by a bugler playing the Last Post. A sad day for Leeds indeed.
Instead, Leeds City Council opted to prioritise buses and cars amidst high running costs of the tram network and increasing car ownership.
The Yorkshire Post reported that the final run of Route 1 was met by a bugler playing the Last Post. A sad day for Leeds indeed.
Clearly, Leeds should have a mass transit system.
The decision to rid such a great city of vital infrastructure was a massive act of economic vandalism.
After three decades with no trams in Leeds, politicians realised this and, in 1993, passed the Leeds Supertram Act.
In most countries, the city could have just decided to build one itself.
But centralisation meant waiting on Westminster.
And Westminster had finally stepped up.
legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1993/15/i…
The decision to rid such a great city of vital infrastructure was a massive act of economic vandalism.
After three decades with no trams in Leeds, politicians realised this and, in 1993, passed the Leeds Supertram Act.
In most countries, the city could have just decided to build one itself.
But centralisation meant waiting on Westminster.
And Westminster had finally stepped up.
legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1993/15/i…
But then followed abject failure.
My theory: national politicians were soothed by high growth rates, and so weren’t worrying enough about the long-term impact of under-investment.
Public sector investment was way too low in the 1990s and early-2000s.
My theory: national politicians were soothed by high growth rates, and so weren’t worrying enough about the long-term impact of under-investment.
Public sector investment was way too low in the 1990s and early-2000s.
After years of dither, in 2005, the Leeds Supertram project was cancelled, with rising costs & public opposition both cited.
The cost? Less than £1bn in today’s money.
Can’t think about this for too long without getting angry.
The cost? Less than £1bn in today’s money.
Can’t think about this for too long without getting angry.
But hope springs eternal!
In 2012, a new government approved a new trolleybus scheme for Leeds.
The Transport Secretary heralded the scheme as “transformational for growth and jobs in West Yorkshire”.
Not a proper tram – but a big step in the right direction.
In 2012, a new government approved a new trolleybus scheme for Leeds.
The Transport Secretary heralded the scheme as “transformational for growth and jobs in West Yorkshire”.
Not a proper tram – but a big step in the right direction.
Fast forward four years however...and the scheme was rejected.
With familiar foes in the form of our unwieldy planning system and coordinated campaigns from local opposition – along with a lack of leadership from government – the project couldn’t get over the line.
Worth pausing on how the scheme that was canned here was just 9 miles in length – over 10 times smaller than the tram network of the 1950s.
And our politicians couldn’t even get this over the line.
As a country, we used to be good at building our future – but for too long now we’ve blocked it before it even has a chance to arrive.
With familiar foes in the form of our unwieldy planning system and coordinated campaigns from local opposition – along with a lack of leadership from government – the project couldn’t get over the line.
Worth pausing on how the scheme that was canned here was just 9 miles in length – over 10 times smaller than the tram network of the 1950s.
And our politicians couldn’t even get this over the line.
As a country, we used to be good at building our future – but for too long now we’ve blocked it before it even has a chance to arrive.
This matters for all of us.
The English economy is so very unique – with just one large city with above average productivity.
We are flying on one engine. London and the South East are more expensive than they need to be, with housing costs cratering living standards in this part of the country.
And large cities and their nearby towns in the rest of the country aren’t fulfilling their potential, and have been falling further behind economically (with the exception of a few places e.g. Manchester and Edinburgh).
The English economy is so very unique – with just one large city with above average productivity.
We are flying on one engine. London and the South East are more expensive than they need to be, with housing costs cratering living standards in this part of the country.
And large cities and their nearby towns in the rest of the country aren’t fulfilling their potential, and have been falling further behind economically (with the exception of a few places e.g. Manchester and Edinburgh).
We can kid ourselves that this economic divergence is complicated and difficult to sort out.
Or we can look at the evidence on how much slower and unreliable travel is in places like Leeds and do something about it.
For more on this, see the new report from @JP_Spencer_ at @LabourTogether.
Or we can look at the evidence on how much slower and unreliable travel is in places like Leeds and do something about it.
For more on this, see the new report from @JP_Spencer_ at @LabourTogether.
https://x.com/JP_Spencer_/status/1909156129126375913
This stuff isn’t hard.
Over 20 French cities have built tram networks since 2000.
In Germany, there are now no fewer than 60 cities with a tram.
The UK – falling further and further behind when it comes to urban public transport.
Over 20 French cities have built tram networks since 2000.
In Germany, there are now no fewer than 60 cities with a tram.
The UK – falling further and further behind when it comes to urban public transport.
Thankfully, under this @UKLabour govt, things are different.
We have a Chancellor who chose to increase public investment by more than £100bn in this Parliament.
And just last month, the Prime Minister announced £1.7bn in funding for transport in the North, including support for a Mass Transit system for West Yorkshire.
gov.uk/government/new…
We have a Chancellor who chose to increase public investment by more than £100bn in this Parliament.
And just last month, the Prime Minister announced £1.7bn in funding for transport in the North, including support for a Mass Transit system for West Yorkshire.
gov.uk/government/new…
We can’t sustainably grow our economy without making common-sense investments in infrastructure like the Leeds tram.
Mayor of West Yorkshire @TracyBrabin wants spades in the grounds by 2028, and I am confident that this Labour government will give her all the support and investment she needs to get it over the line.
Mayor of West Yorkshire @TracyBrabin wants spades in the grounds by 2028, and I am confident that this Labour government will give her all the support and investment she needs to get it over the line.
https://x.com/MayorOfWY/status/1892250125889626273
Today I was pleased to secure a personal commitment from the Chancellor @RachelReevesMP on this.
In her own words, “Under this government, we’ll put that investment in and get those trams running”.
In her own words, “Under this government, we’ll put that investment in and get those trams running”.
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