A business leader has backed the Examiner campaign to get trans-Pennine rail improvements back on track – and boost the northern economy.

Steve Leigh, head of policy for the Huddersfield-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said the decision to “pause” electrification of the Manchester to Leeds rail route – the so-called HS3 – was profoundly disappointing and threatened to turn the north-south divide into a chasm.

“The business community had worked so hard to liaise with politicians and decision-makers to accelerate this project and give a boost to our northern economy,” he said.

“There was no shortage of senior politicians visiting the region for photocalls during the election campaign saying how great this would be.

“We even had talk from George Osborne about far greater plans for HS3. As soon as the election was over and at the earliest opportunity, they have reneged on their promises.”

The Examiner and its sister paper, the Manchester Evening News, are calling on George Osborne to reverse the decision in Wednesday’s Budget and we're urging you to sign our petition:

Mr Leigh said the announcement to “pause” HS3 was quickly followed by the recommendation that a third runway be built at Heathrow at a cost of £16bn to £18bn – a move Mr Leigh described as “massive expenditure to bolster the south-east economy and turn the north-south divide into a chasm”.

He questioned whether politicians were really serious about creating a northern powerhouse, adding: “The answer has to be extreme cynicism about this process.”

Mr Leigh said: “There is an imbalance between what is spent up here and what is spent down there.

Steven Leigh, head of policy at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

“All the new rail stock that ever happens goes to the south-east. In the pecking order, we get rolling stock that is third or fourth hand.

“You are left with the feeling that there is some set of rules that says good things are not for us – they are for other people. We don’t deserve to be treated that way.”

Mr Leigh said: “If these improvements were brought in over the next 20 to 30 years it would make people feel that the north is a good place to set up in business – where there is a connected cluster of like-minded people within striking distance of one another, where the Pennines are no longer seen as an obstacle and where there are is an up-and-coming and fast-growing region which can attract invstment.”

Mr Leigh said successive governments had said they were concerned about narrowing the north-south divide, but progressively that divide had widened.

Backing the Examiner campaign, Mr Leigh said the chamber, which is based at the John Smith’s Stadium and represents firms across Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield, would not give up its fight.

“We have an even stronger resolution to lobby and argue to get the best available funding support that we can for the region”, he said..

The Examiner and its sister paper, the Manchester Evening News, are calling on Mr Osborne to come up with new plans when he presents a Budget on Wednesday.