Tories turn back on Lanarkshire
Local Motherwell and Wishaw MP, Frank Roy has hit out at the new coalition Government backtracking on a commitment to increase the number of West Coast Train Services between Motherwell and London.
The extra services had been promised by the previous Labour Transport Secretary Lord Adonis to ensure that Motherwell remained linked with London after changes to the East Coast Mainline timetable.
Frank said,
“The Tories have begun where they left off by ignoring the needs of Lanarkshire.”
“Labour’s Transport Minister had agreed in January that two new West Coast Virgin services would stop at Motherwell. The new government have refused to honour that guarantees given to me by Labour. The Tory Minister has also completely failed to guarantee the existing 17.40 Edinburgh to Motherwell service will not be cut from the East Coast Timetable, which could cause massive problems for Lanarkshire commuters.”
“It’s the all too familiar story of Tories turning their back on the people of our area.”
Ends
Notes
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Frank had raised the cross border rail services at Prime Minister’s Questions on 9th June
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100609/debtext/100609-0004.htm
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Tory Department of Transport Minister of State, Theresa Villers wrote to Frank on 17th June stating “I do not intend to specify extra calls through Virgin Train’s franchise”.
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The previous Secretary of State Lord Adonis had agreed additional West Coast Services between Motherwell and London, and that he would look to ensure there was a service available from Edinburgh to Motherwell for commuters between 1700 and 1800.