MP blasts government for ignoring Lake District National Park over rail electrification

Local MP Tim Farron has hit out at the Department for Transport for ignoring the Lake District National Park Authority over Lakes Line electrification.

Back in August, the Chair of the National Park wrote to Chris Grayling expressing the Park's "disappointment" at the decision to shelve plans to electrify the Lakes Line, and requested a meeting with the Transport Secretary.

Despite sending the letter almost three months ago, the National Park say they are still waiting for a response from the Department for Transport

What's more, in a recent letter from the Rail Minister to Tim Farron, the Rail Minister said not electrifying the line would "protect the environment in this World Heritage Site", despite the National Park saying electrification was "wholly consistent" with their management plan in their letter back in August.

Tim said: "With the Lake District gaining World Heritage Site status, transport links in the South Lakes are now more important than ever.

"So, it's frankly pathetic that nearly three months after offering to meet with Chris Grayling, the National Park haven't heard so much as a whimper from the Transport Secretary.

"It's also very disappointing that the government continue to trot out the same old incorrect excuses about electrification being detrimental to the environment, when the letter from the Park's chair made it very clear that this is not the case."