A WHARFEDALE MP has pressed the case for the electrification of a local rail link with a high-ranking Government minister.

MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) also stressed the need for a rail link to serve Leeds Bradford Airport when he met Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, this week.

The electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line would see the number of trains running between Leeds, Horsforth and Harrogate increase to four per hour – with two trains each hour going on to Knaresborough and York using electric locomotives.

End-to-end journey times would also, under plans being led by Metro working with North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and the City of York Council, be reduced by 15 minutes.

Speaking before the Wednesday, meeting, Mr Mulholland said: “I am pleased the minister is taking a keen interest in the future of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line and at our meeting I hope to discuss with him the electrification plans so far, and what further support he may be able to offer.

“Electrification of the line will mean quicker and faster journeys between Leeds, Harrogate and York, which is a boost for the local economies of these cities, for the region as a whole and, of course, for local residents who frequently travel on the route.”

Mr Alexander added: “The Leeds-Harrogate-York line is an important route for Yorkshire’s economy and businesses are keen to see the line electrified.

“I welcome that Greg raised this with me in the House of Commons and I look forward to meeting him and other local MPs to further hear the case for electrifying the route.”

Mr Mulholland secured the meeting after raising the need for further devolution, to allow the line electrification and airport rail link schemes to proceed, with Mr Alexander in the House of Commons before Christmas.

He had welcomed the Government’s investment in Yorkshire’s infrastructure, but speaking in the House of Commons, said: “We also need further devolution to allow the much-needed rail link to Leeds Bradford Airport and the electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line.”

The MP has long argued that a new rail link would allow easier access to Leeds Bradford Airport – whose number of through-passengers is expected to rise to 5.1 million in 2016 – while reducing road congestion.

At the moment 93.2 per cent of passengers are having to use private vehicles to reach the airport.