Electric trains are set to run through West Yorkshire on the line between York and Manchester as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) – a multi-billion pound scheme which is set to be finished between 2036 and 2041.
TRU will transform the main line that passes through West Yorkshire locations such as Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield and Huddersfield
Now, ahead of Pride month in June, the Labour MP for York Outer – Luke Charters has called for the new route to be named the Turing Line after Alan Turing who worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.
Alan Turing Turing was later arrested for homosexuality – which was then illegal in Britain – and was found guilty of ‘gross indecency’. He went on to commit suicide and in 2013 he was given a posthumous royal pardon after bills were submitted in Parliament and the House of Lords.
Last week in Parliament, Mr Charters launched his campaign to name the new route, the Turing Line. At the Bank of England, Mr Charters was part of the team who helped put Turing on the new £50 banknote, and he saw firsthand the importance of celebrating Turing’s legacy.
He said Alan Turing’s work on computing at the University of Manchester transformed the modern world, and his efforts in cracking the Enigma code are part of the reason that Britain won the Second World War.
Mr Charters said he is also particularly proud of York’s contribution to computer science, having recently visited the University of York’s Computer Science Department and Fulford School, one of the country’s leading secondary schools in the subject.
In the House of Commons Mr Charters asked the Leader of the House whether one of the several new railway lines the government is building, particularly the new York-Manchester line, should be named the Turing Line to “honour Alan Turing’s personal tenacity, British brilliance, and English ingenuity”.
Following this question, the Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, and Manchester Central MP said: “It would be a fitting tribute to consider the TransPennine route or perhaps another railway line being named after him.”
Mr Charters said: “I’m thrilled to receive support from the Leader of the House on this campaign.
“Both our constituencies in York Outer and Manchester Central are not only tied together by a strong northern identity, but vital rail infrastructure making it easier for our constituents to travel between our two great cities.
“Alan Turing is one of the most influential people in the history of this country. It would be a fantastic moment for this new rail line to become a tribute to his work – and the historic legacy he has left our great nation – not least following the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
“With two weeks until Pride celebrations begin across the country, this is a fitting time to pay tribute to one of Britain’s most influential LGBTQ+ figures.”
