Make Cornish railway ‘Fit for purpose’ – Lib Dems
A three-strong team of Cornish Liberal Democrat MPs today (Wednesday) met with Transport Minister, Tom Harris MP, to press for service on the line from Penzance to London and from Penzance to Dundee to be maintained and improved.
Ministers are in the process of deciding the specification for new rolling stock on the lines between London and Cornwall, before putting the contract out to tender late next year.
The team of MPs highlighted the necessity for trains which can accelerate and decelerate quickly, to serve small stations south of Exeter.
Commenting after the meeting, Matthew Taylor, MP for Truro and St. Austell, said,
"We wanted to make Ministers aware as early as possible of Cornwall's special requirements. Our rail service is nothing short of essential for our communities and businesses, so it's vital the Government gets this right.
"We know what we want: regular trains, able to stop regularly without undue delay, and long enough to accommodate the vast number of passengers that visit us every summer."
North Cornwall MP, Dan Rogerson added,
"Cornwall is one of the UK's most deprived areas yet we've seen cheap fares to London steadily eroded in recent years. It is a travesty that some of Britain's poorest people should have to pay £200 just to spend a day in the capital.
"We convinced the Minister to make clear the need for cheap fares and suitable rolling stock when he next meets First Great Western.
"We look forward to hearing the results. Cornwall must not be kept waiting for a railway which is fit for purpose."
