Councillors Call for Haxby Station Funding Commitment

Haxby and Wigginton's Lib Dem Councillors have today written to Julian Sturdy MP, the Conservative MP for York Outer, to highlight the need for urgent confirmation of government funding for the vitally important proposed new station at Haxby. The proposed plans for a station at Haxby have made considerable progress over the last few years, starting back in 2020, when the City of York Council was successful in securing £400,000 from the New Stations Fund. Since then, City of York Council have been working in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the plans to the advanced pre-construction stage it is at. Indeed, planning permission is expected to be submitted by Network Rail in autumn, and the project is still on time and scheduled for completion in 2024. City of York Council have purchased the land for the new station at a cost of £250,000, and the Department for Transport have since awarded a further £1.1 million towards the detailed designs. To date, the best part of £2 million has been spent on the project by local and national Government to get it to the point where it is ready for construction. City of York Council’s long-term budget includes £4 million match funding towards the completion of the Haxby station project.

Councillor Andrew Hollyer, Lib Dem councillor for Haxby and Wigginton said: "There is only one thing that remains to be confirmed, which is the outstanding amount granted by Central Government towards the construction costs, which are currently estimated at around £22-£23 million. Therefore, we are writing to seek urgent clarification and confirmation that HM Government are still supportive of this project. We are writing to ask that our local MP takes this issue up with Government colleagues and ministers to deliver on the promise made by the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak in November 2020, that Government is focused on improving local transport infrastructure and, ultimately, in delivering the long awaited Haxby station project."

Councillor Ed Pearson added: "We have been really pleased to see cross-party support for this vital local amenity, which would be a game changer for connectivity for our area and for our residents. We feel that we have done everything in our power as local Councillors to ensure that City of York Council has prioritised this project, despite heavily constrained Local Authority budgets. We are now looking forward to continued efforts within Government to push for the release of this funding which is critical for the project."

At last Saturday's Haxby Carnival, the local Lib Dem Councillors launched an opportunity for residents to add their name to the letter, it can be signed online at bit.ly/haxbystation

The letter reads:

Dear Julian,
RE: Full Funding to Reopen Haxby Station
We are writing to you in our roles as City of York Ward Councillors for both the Haxby and Wigginton Ward, and the Strensall Ward, about the urgent need for confirmation of government funding for the vitally important proposed new station at Haxby. This would represent the first new railway station in York and North Yorkshire for a decade, as well as the delivery of a project that has been in the pipeline for decades.

As you’ll be aware, the proposed plans for a station at Haxby have made considerable progress over the last few years, starting back in 2020, when the City of York Council was successful in securing £400,000 from the New Stations Fund. This was needed to develop the plans for the station from an initial strategic business case through to a fully costed design and full business case stage.

Since then, City of York Council have been working in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the plans to the advanced pre-construction stage it is now at. Indeed, planning permission is expected to be submitted by Network Rail in early autumn, the project is on time, and is scheduled for completion in 2024; in line with the DfT’s original specified timeframes.

City of York Council have purchased the land for the new station at a cost of £250,000, and the Department for Transport has since awarded a further £1.1 million towards the detailed designs. To date, the best part of £2 million has been spent on the project by local and national Government to get it to the point where it is ready for construction.

The Council’s long-term budget includes £4 million match funding towards the completion of the Haxby station project. There is only one thing that remains to be confirmed, which is the outstanding amount granted by Central Government towards the construction costs, which are currently estimated at around £22-£23 million. We are therefore requesting urgent clarification and confirmation that HM Government are still supportive of this project. In this, we would seek your support for the release of the remaining £18-19 million funding to allow this hugely important local project to finally go ahead.

We are therefore writing to ask that you take this issue up with your Government colleagues and Ministers, to deliver on the commitment made by the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak at dispatches in November 2020, that Government is focussed on improving local transport infrastructure and, ultimately, in delivering the long awaited Haxby station project.

We have been really pleased to see cross-party support, including your own efforts, for this vital local amenity, which would be a game changer for connectivity for our area and for our residents.

We feel that we have done everything in our power as local Councillors to ensure that City of York Council has prioritised this project, despite heavily constrained Local Authority budgets. We are now looking forward to your own continued efforts within Government to push for the release of this funding which is critical for the project.

While a written reply would be appreciated in the first instance, we would be very happy to meet to discuss this important local issue with you in person.

Yours sincerely,
Cllrs Ian Cuthbertson, Andrew Hollyer, and Edward Pearson - Ward Councillors for Haxby and Wigginton, City of York Council
Cllrs Tony Fisher and Paul Healey - Ward Councillors for Strensall, City of York Council
CC:
Mark Harper MP - Secretary of State for Transport
Huw Merriman MP - Minister of State for Rail and HS2
David Hughes – Director General, Rail Infrastructure Group, DfT