Graham Stuart MP renews calls to revive Hull to York rail link

The former Beverley to York railway line at Cherry Burton

An East Yorkshire MP has renewed calls to revive the railway line connecting Beverley and York.

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, said rail minister Huw Merriman had told him the proposed line remained under consideration.

Connecting Hull to York via Beverley would "light a rocket" under the region, Mr Stuart said.

He added the scrapping of HS2's northern leg meant other transport projects had a "unique opportunity".

Beverley's railway station

Conservative Mr Stuart was joined at the meeting by Labour's Diana Johnson, MP for Hull North, and Emma Hardy, MP for Hull West and Hessle, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The government has pledged £19.8bn for infrastructure in the North, paid for using cash from the scrapped HS2 high-speed line between Birmingham and Manchester.

As a result, Mr Stuart said northern projects had a unique opportunity "to get a hearing from government", adding he was making sure the York to Hull rail link was being actively considered.

"Connecting the great university cities of Hull and York would light a rocket under our region.

"I want to see graduates of our world-class universities have well-paid jobs and clear career pathways to make staying in the Humber region the logical decision. The railway would make towns like Beverley a bigger part of the nation's future," he added.

While the Hull to Beverley line is still in existence, the stretch from Beverley to York was axed in 1965 as part of the Beeching cuts and has never reopened. The Minsters' Rail Campaign has long called for the route to be reinstated.

In 2005, feasibility studies commissioned by East Riding council showed reinstating the line would be achievable. Further impetus was provided in 2019 when Boris Johnson announced plans to reinstate old lines.

In 2021, the government gave the go-ahead for a business case to be drawn up for the line, which would include stations in Stamford Bridge, Pocklington and Market Weighton.

Roy Begg, from the Minsters' Rail Campaign, said there was "belief in the project".