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Harrogate MP Tom Gordon launches campaign for better rail links

Tuesday, 1 April 2025 07:33

Tom Gordon MP (left) is campaigning to dual the train track between Knaresborough and York. 

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon is calling on the government to invest in local rail services and fix long-standing transport issues.

Speaking in Parliament, the Liberal Democrat MP paid tribute to the late Brian Dunsby OBE, a tireless champion for Harrogate’s rail links. 

He praised Brian’s instrumental role in securing the direct Harrogate-to-London train service—now running six times a day—but said that “much more still needs to be done.”

Tom said: 

“The heart of the problem is the Leeds-to-York line via Harrogate, where the track bottlenecks into a single line at Knaresborough. 

“This outdated infrastructure limits train frequency, causes delays, and frequently frustrates commuters.” 

He called for action to dual the track between Knaresborough and York. 

However, the Transport Minister failed to commit to any real solutions—offering only the prospect of a future meeting with the Rail Minister, a response Tom slammed as deeply inadequate.

Determined to highlight the scale of the problem, Tom met with Northern Rail and rode in the train cab along the route to see the lacking infrastructure firsthand. 

Speaking with Northern Rail during the journey, he reiterated the pressing need for investment to dual the track and improve services for passengers.

Tom said:

“We don’t need more meetings—we need real action. People in Harrogate and Knaresborough deserve a rail service that works for them, not one with limited capacity and bottlenecks.

“If we want people to choose public transport over cars, we have to make it a viable, reliable option. That starts with dualling the track between Knaresborough and York to boost capacity and ensure more frequent services.”

“I will keep pushing the government to stop dragging its feet and start delivering the investment our rail network so desperately needs.”

With the campaign to dual the line now launched, Tom has vowed to keep fighting until the government delivers “real action.”

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