Fancy magazine no compensation for electrification delays - Farron

Local MP Tim Farron has slammed the government as "out of touch" for producing a glossy magazine about transport in the North, while at the same time kicking the Lakes Line electrification into the long grass.

'Northern Light' is a new quarterly magazine from 'Transport for the North', a government agency, talking about transport developments in the North of England.

However, Tim has criticised the government for focusing on producing this magazine while at the same time delaying plans for the electrification of the Lakes Line. This project had been due to take place by 2017, but the government has repeatedly delayed it. It is now unclear when it will happen, and at a recent meeting with the Rail Minister, Tim was told it could be as late as 2024.

An article in the magazine is dedicated to tourism in Cumbria, and its importance to the economy. However, instead of talking about connections through to Windermere and the heart of the Lake District, the article only refers to low-carbon car hire facilities at Oxenholme station. There is no mention of Lakes Line electrification at all.

Tim said: "Instead of actually doing something that would benefit our area and ending delays to the Lakes Line electrification project, the government has wasted time and money making a shiny magazine about transport in the North.

"The magazine talks about the importance of tourism to Cumbria, but fails to mention the Lakes Line electrification project at all. This would link our line into the rest of the network and provide a real boost to tourism, but this Conservative government has instead chosen to kick this project into the long grass.

"If the government really cared about the North and boosting Cumbrian tourism, it would have a record of action to point to rather than just an expensive magazine."

For a digital version of the magazine, see:

http://www.transportforthenorth.com/northern-light-winter-2016/